Courtney's Crusade for Redemption
by AnonBrowser
Summary: Inspired by PurpleBandit3000's "Total Drama Redemption", this fic features Courtney feeling ashamed of her actions in Total Drama All-Stars and wanting a chance to redeem herself. Her wish is granted and she gets sent back in time to the start of the season. What will the CIT do differently now? Story told from Courtney's POV. Now complete!
1. Remorse

**Ladies and gentlemen, behold: AnonBrowser has posted the introduction to his first multi-chapter story (and sixth submission to FanFiction overall)! This fic is inspired by PurpleBandit3000's "Total Drama Redemption" where Noah goes back in time to compete on Total Drama Island (season 1) again. It is a fantastic piece that I highly recommend along with another great tribute by CosmicWarrior titled "Total Drama: Cody's Redemption", which has a similar concept but with Cody travelling through time instead of Noah. My story, however, has Courtney going back to Total Drama All-Stars (season 5) where she vows not to make the same mistakes as before. It is strongly recommended that you watch Total Drama Pahkitew Island (season 6) and all the Total Drama seasons preceding it before you read as it contains spoilers for each season. Hope you enjoy!**

It's been a while since I had anybody to talk to other than family members. My stupid chart in Total Drama All-Stars, the fifth season of Total Drama, is to blame for that. I was doing very well that season until the final five where I largely dug my own grave by making the damn chart and Mike—or maybe it was his evil "Mal" alternate personality that unfortunately had taken over his body—found it and showed everybody else. They all turned against me as a result. I can't blame them. It was a huge mistake I made that I've highly regretted ever since.

You are not imagining things. I, Courtney Gomez, do admit that I did something wrong. Since then, I've truly begun to own up to my faults. I'm ashamed of what I did that day. It also taught me an overdue lesson on prioritizing winning over friendships or relationships when I lost my friend Gwen AND my boyfriend Scott. I wasn't that close to Zoey anyway before my chart got exposed and had been planning to take her out ASAP when I felt she was the biggest threat to my victory, so she wasn't a painful loss in comparison, but Mike/Mal exposing my plans obviously prevented her from going home. He would've been out right afterwards if things went the way I wanted, with Gwen in third place and Scott going to the finals with me. While Mike or his evil persona (still not sure who was in control then) basically set me up for elimination then, I do blame myself for making it in the first place and then stupidly leaving it in the confessional outhouse. Excitement over winning got in the way of my judgement when I exited. He must have found it there afterwards.

Ever since I got voted off then, I've taken the time to re-watch all the seasons of Total Drama I competed on. It gave me the chance to truly see when I was in the wrong during each season and how much of a bitch I could often be, especially during season 2 where I was the villain. I toned my evil streak down after that and have since come to regret many of my actions. As much as I wish I wasn't so mean, it's too late to fix that. I also watched seasons 4 and 6, the former because it gave me the chance to see more of Scott, and I did admittedly see some of my past self within him then. Yes, I do still miss him and my friendship with Gwen.

Six months have passed now since the season 5 finale (roughly four since it aired), and the sixth season Pahkitew Island also aired its last episode less than a month ago. That finale was quite painful to watch; not only was Sky an unfaithful girlfriend (poor Keith who must've been dismayed watching her cheat on him), but she used Dave's affections to her advantage by kissing him into helping her win. Those two clearly liked each other no matter how much she initially refused to admit it, and the girl really should've just told him sooner that she had a boyfriend back home even if she was already planning to call things off with Keith, though he did overreact to getting rejected and learning about the boyfriend.

While Dave interrupting her "but" was quite a bad choice, she still had plenty of opportunities to tell him about her relationship status, yet willingly was unfaithful by getting flirty with him more than once when he was still competing (they almost kissed at certain points before getting interrupted) and then kissing for real in the finals prior to the Keith revelation. Both guys deserve better than that cunt. I had already been rooting for Shawn, and this only made me hope even more that he'd defeat Sky. He and Jasmine make a good couple, and it was nice she got to work with him in the finals. I won't spoil who won Pahkitew Island if you didn't already watch it all, but that had quite an eventful finale. In a way, I envy Shawn and Jasmine as they were able to reconcile after bumps in their road while Scott probably couldn't be paid to say much to me these days.

Watching this finale hurt me in a couple of different ways. Number one, infidelity remains a major sore spot after that piece of shit Duncan cheated on me by kissing Gwen in season 3. I know now that this was much more his fault than hers (both by re-watching the episode and talking with her) and made up with Gwen afterwards only to fuck it up big time later in season 5, but he can never be forgiven for that and I hold anyone who commits infidelity in contempt. I should've directed my anger then more at him than her when he initiated that kiss without remorse and she felt super guilty afterwards. Number two, I felt especially guilty about planning to exploit Scott's affections by having him let me win. It would've been worse if we got to the finals and I followed through on such plans. I vow to never use or try to use a guy like that in the future.

Most or all the people I competed with on Total Drama hate me for what I did in All-Stars if they didn't already. I fully understand why. A selfish desire for victory got in the way of everything else. If I ever go back to compete again, I promise I won't repeat that mistake. Money doesn't buy friendships or relationships. No way would I ever get back with Duncan the jackass even if we were the last two people on Earth, but I can't put all the blame on him for our strains. My pride no longer prevents me from admitting that.

Looking back, while our relationship did have some happy times, things with Duncan were doomed from the start and I regret ever getting together in the first place as the bad unquestionably outweighs the good. We had too many personal differences to really be compatible despite somehow becoming attracted to each other in season 1. I don't even remember what it was that we liked about one another. Both of us at certain points chose the prize money over each other. I once wrote a ridiculously long list of ways he needed to change for us to work out back in season 2. Aside from his future infidelity, that was probably the biggest indicator we weren't meant to be, but I naïvely thought he could change.

He obviously didn't and voted me off in the final 4. I have of course realized why he did that; it was unreasonably demanding of me, and I knew to tone myself down afterwards. When I dumped him as a result, that should've been the permanent end of us. Getting back together afterwards was a big mistake and it wouldn't have worked out even if he had stayed faithful. In the future, it's better to just break things off with someone when I can't change myself enough as well to be compatible.

After dumping Duncan in the third season, I fell for Alejandro Burromuerto, which led to disaster. It above all else would've been a rebound quickly following heartbreak if we got together anyway. What did he do? Toy with my heart and manipulate me to get himself further in the game. That bastard only faked interest in me and exploited my affections for him like he did with Leshawna and Bridgette when they became attracted to him earlier that season. Like them, I didn't realize I was being played with until it was too late, but it somehow took me much longer to see his true nature.

As hypocritical as it is sounds for me to criticize someone for toying with affections after I played with Justin's heart in season 2 and manipulated him into falling for me so he would let me win a challenge, what I did was a one-time-only thing unlike Burromuerto's actions. I also quickly realized how wrong that was of me afterwards and apologized to Justin later even though I had no interest in dating him and he had probably moved on by that point. It therefore is admittedly quite ironic that I didn't see sooner what Al was doing to me. Sometime during season 4 (which nobody from the first three seasons competed in), Leshawna showed me clips of Alejandro's plans to exploit my attraction to him when I for some reason stupidly tried to defend the schmuck. I'm grateful she did that and lost all interest in the guy right then and there. Before then, I was extremely jealous of Heather for winning his heart during season 3 as we had competed for him to an extent before I got eliminated. They started dating after the season ended and are still together to this day. The apartment I live in these days is unfortunately close by theirs and the walls are quite thin. You do NOT want to hear their arguments at night or intimate moments, trust me.

Unlike Alejandro and Duncan, Scott was someone who never truly did anything bad to me and is someone I overall felt I could get along better with, even though things between us ended much sooner than my relationship with Duncan. Scott and I both were once major jerks who softened without entirely losing our mean sides after serving as a season's villain (yes I know how he was season 4's antagonist and how he changed afterwards), were once willing to throw or try to throw challenges multiple times if it meant a chance to vote someone off (though I regret trying to oust Gwen like that in season 3), had tactical minds that allowed us to get far in the game (wasn't just luck), and could easily manipulate others (though went overboard with that). He also didn't mind taking orders if needed. I didn't think much of Scott when we first met and was initially irked when he started flirting with me, but over time began to like the guy back.

Another big plus for Scott is that he was faithful to me for the entire time we dated. Yes, he often said awkward things around me and got flustered from time to time (he even mistakenly asked me "will you be my boyfriend?" before nervously correcting himself which was kind of funny), but it was adorable in a certain way. I could tell he was at least trying to be a good boyfriend. Maybe his lack of experience with girls played a part in it. I do I know was after all his first girlfriend. Regardless, I'd much rather take an awkward inexperienced guy who's loyal and wants me for who I am over some experienced cheater any day. Perhaps I could've taught him about relationships and such if he hadn't dumped me for that chart fiasco. Oh well. Hopefully our brief thing together doesn't scar him to the point where he's turned off to dating. Either way, I'm ashamed of how it ended between us.

I know from re-watching All Stars that at least part of him missed me after I got voted off, which was comforting when I miss him too, but he still can't bring himself to trust or forgive me these days. On the rare occasions we did speak at all after the season ended (I did get his number before leaving), he would say I insulted him and never forgot to mention how upset he was over me drawing him with a rat tail. It of course was understandable and made me feel like shit. This just adds to my guilt.

Gwen said she wouldn't vote for me if I voted for myself then. We haven't spoken since that day because I don't have any way of contacting her outside of the show (probably should've exchanged numbers), but I followed through on her request because I badly wanted to prove I really was sorry and got eliminated in a 3-2 vote. It did however provide some consolation that the vote wasn't unanimous against me. The goth must've also kept her word and got Zoey to vote for Scott as she told me she would. Either way, I couldn't bring myself to vote for him even if it would've kept me in the game. Never thought I would say this to anybody, but to be honest, I fully know I deserved to get the boot then after what I did.

However, if any of the cast members from that season are despised more than me nowadays other than Ezekiel the feral freak (who nobody on the show ever liked at all to begin with for being sexist and obnoxious before losing any sanity he may have had), it would be Duncan. More of his softer side had shown during All-Stars to his dismay as he wanted to downplay that as much as possible, cherishing his "bad boy" reputation. It sometimes was quite funny seeing him try to act tougher than he really was. Desperate to end all of that, Mr. Delinquent got himself disqualified for stupidly blowing up our host Chris McLean's mansion (no it was NOT a "cottage" as the host asserted) with a stick of dynamite. What an idiot. Not only did he get kicked off the show that day, but also arrested for property destruction. It just made me think even less of that bozo than I already did (which is saying quite a lot).

Going to jail served him right as that was going too far even though McLean is a dirtbag who didn't deserve to own such property in the first place. After that incident, not even Duncan's buddies Owen or DJ wanted anything to do with him (Geoff already had some sort of falling out with Duncan in between the first two seasons). Duncan still hasn't been released from jail and I'm sure he won't leave it anytime soon. I hope he rots in there for life. Chris probably won't ever let him compete again either way. There's no way the delinquent could hope to redeem himself for this.

Speaking of redemption, I could really use a chance to redeem myself. An opportunity to show I've changed myself for the better would be quite nice. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem likely to happen anytime soon. I'm not defending my actions here, but the truth is I mainly became antagonistic after Harold McGrady rigged the vote against me in season 1 to spite Duncan and then I was angry for not initially qualifying for season 2. If anything, I should've just resented him and not taken my anger out on most of the other remaining contestants once I entered Total Drama Action mid-season. Later in the second season's final five, I would get back at Harold by voting him off, though I'm not so focused on vengeance these days and we settled our conflict afterwards. McGrady learned his lesson and so did I.

It's late at night now, and I need some rest. As I go to bed, I see a falling star and wish for a chance to redeem myself, start over with Scott, and make things right with Gwen. She went out of her way in season 5 to make amends with me only to have it go down the gutter when my selfishness got the better of me. I need to do the same for her.

Sleep then took over me.

 **How do you guys like the story so far? I had to get my tribute to PurpleBandit3000 out today in time for the fifth anniversary of the fic that inspired it (and also coincidentally the third anniversary of its completion). Courtney is in for quite a ride! I'm not sure how often I'll be able to post chapters given my offline schedule, but am sure things will be worth waiting for.**

 **Chapter posted: August 3, 2018**


	2. Here We Go Again

**Hey everyone! I finished the second chapter sooner than expected. It's up only one day after I posted the first, but wasn't rushed at all; I just simply got lots of ideas down quickly and wanted to write those out before I forgot about them. With enough time on my hands, they could get finished sooner plus it's a story I'm highly motivated to work on since once the idea of Courtney going back in time to undo her season 5 mistakes came up, I just couldn't get it out of my head and simply HAD to flesh that out.**

 **Time for review responses!**

 **xtremexavier15: Many thanks, and I thought it's a nice change of pace as well.**

 **Frostbite100: Glad you liked the opening! I don't think Scott is too bad either (at least not in season 5 where he's much kinder than before, and you can read my one-shot "A Life-Changing Attack" for my theory on why he toned down his mean antics). All I can say about him now without spoilers is that he'll play a pretty prominent role within this fic. It is too bad "Harold's Hunt for Redemption" got abandoned after only 2 chapters, but I assure you I won't leave this fic incomplete, even if it takes a while to finish. Courtney is admittedly someone I have mixed feelings on overall, though felt it would be interesting to see how she'd try to right her wrongs.**

 **StarHeart Specials: Nice to know I fulfilled someone's wishes, and I do hope you enjoy.**

 **CosmicWarrior: I was wondering how long it would take for you to find this (apparently just several hours). Also, see my response to Frostbite100 regarding "Harold's Hunt for Redemption" and Courtney as a character. While TDAS was flawed if you ask me, I personally wouldn't call it outright bad, though what comes up could leave some viewers more satisfied than what canon had.**

 **GlitchWarrior: No doubt about that!**

I wake up in the morning to find I'm back in my parents' home. What the hell just happened!? Sure, it's nice change of pace not to have to hear Alejandro and Heather have sex or get into spats, but how did I end up here? I regardless feel hungry and need some breakfast. After getting dressed, I walk downstairs to the kitchen.

On the kitchen table, I find a note from my mom and dad. Here's what it read:

"Courtney, we hope you enjoyed becoming an adult yesterday and it was fun celebrating your 18th birthday. Both of us unfortunately had to leave for our flight early this morning before you woke up. Enjoy one last meal at home before going back on Total Drama! We of course hope you win and will help you move into your apartment after the season ends."

This feels strangely familiar. Both of my parents are lawyers (which is why I also hope to become one) and unfortunately had to fly off to somewhere in the United States for a court case the day I left home to go on All-Stars. The winnings could help me pay for my apartment, college, and later law school. They also left me a good-bye note that morning and had agreed to help me move into my apartment later (so I could start to learn how to live on my own before going to college and then law school) as well as pay for some of the rent, keeping in mind I am only 18. I would try to get a job to earn my own money in case I left Total Drama empty-handed. It was just bad luck that Heather and Alejandro happened to move in close to mine afterwards. Before this morning, I worked at local grocery store as a cashier close to my apartment. The money from that would also help pay for my future education.

Wait a moment. I re-read the note. It said MOVE INTO my apartment, meaning I still lived at this home instead, AND said my 18th birthday was YESTERDAY. My jaw drops in shock when I realize what has happened: I somehow have gone back in time to when Total Drama All-Stars began (which was literally the day after I turned 18)! That would explain how I woke up here rather than in the apartment. It looks like that falling star granted my wish after all for starting over with Scott. Not what I had in mind, but I may as well make the most of it and redeem myself.

In the meantime, my stomach is growling and needs to be filled ASAP. I grab some bread and put it in the toaster before pouring myself a cup of coffee. After that, I think about what time travel can do for me. First and foremost, it means that idiotic elimination chart never happened and that I can bond with Scott and Gwen again! It'll obviously take some chatting to reconcile with the goth, though I already feel so much better than I did before travelling back to this day. Secondly, I clearly have a major advantage over everyone else by already knowing what the challenges this season will involve. I just can't let anybody else know that of course or I'm fucked.

The toast pops up and I butter it before quickly eating. I know Chef Hatchet will land his helicopter here soon for picking up contestants if he hasn't already and will come to this house afterwards to gather me. After drinking the last of my coffee, I start to brush my teeth. I then hear a knocking at my front door.

"Time to get going; the fifth season of Total Drama is starting up!"

That of course was Chef calling for me. Time to start my redemption.

"I just need to clean my teeth first!" I tell the cook.

"You only have ten minutes, CIT, so make it snappy!" he tells me.

I quickly finish brushing and flossing my teeth before I grab my belongings. Thankfully those were already packed. Stuffing my toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss into a bag with everything else, I open the door with five minutes to spare. Hatchet walks me over to his helicopter and opens the door for me as I make my way inside. Everyone from the season except Alejandro is already there exactly as they were the first time I lived through this.

Something I know from re-watching Total Drama episodes (as well as already living through the fifth season) that he still is in that robot suit McLean placed him to heal in after getting burnt by lava in season 3 (similar to Anakin Skywalker getting his Darth Vader suit during _Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of The Sith_ ) and already at Camp Wawanakwa, but obviously can't tell anybody about his whereabouts without raising suspicions. Feral Ezekiel is also unfortunately with us in the helicopter. While I know he's not actually competing this season (quite a relief) and that Chris was just pulling a prank on him, this is also something I must keep to myself.

Just like before, it's awkwardly quiet until Chef Hatchet starts up the helicopter. He tells us all to buckle up. We comply as the helicopter takes off and travels to Wawanakwa. I have the following priorities:

1\. Apologize to Gwen for what I did to her in season 3 once we have the chance to speak alone.

2\. Re-introduce myself to Scott with a clean (or at least cleaner) slate when I get the chance. Maybe we can start dating even sooner this time once he knows me well enough.

3\. Get as close as possible to the finals without damaging my connections to others. I still would like to win even though I know not to let that get in the way of relationships or friendships.

As I looked around the helicopter, I noticed Mike, Zoey, and Cameron were all chatting about something, and I know for certain this is the real Mike as Mal hadn't got unleashed yet. A thought then occurred to me; perhaps I can help Mike out to an extent with Mal and his other personalities, preventing Mal from creating so much chaos! While I don't know every single moment Mal was in control instead of Mike even after re-watching the season multiple times to study the Mike vs. Mal moments, I do know that it was Mal who tried to interfere with Scott and me by pushing Cameron towards my lips. That's not at all something Mike would make his friend do.

Scott thought I was cheating, and we called things off after arguing over the matter. Deep down, it broke my heart seeing him so upset because I knew how bad it felt to be cheated on. He later even started eating dirt out of sadness while crying. We got back together after I promptly set the record straight that it was Cameron who kissed me and not the other way around, but then my chart quickly ended our reconciliation. I obviously won't make that idiotic chart again. As you might remember, that chart exposure was a moment I could never quite tell whether Mike or Mal had been in control. Regardless, I'm glad Mike was able to conquer Mal somehow even if he had to for some reason sacrifice all four of his other alternate personalities, which were Manitoba Smith, Svetlana, Vito, and Chester. The poor guy shouldn't have had to suffer like that with something so evil taking over his body.

I'm trying to think of how Mal got unleashed in the first place while Mike was competing. Was it when Scott accidentally hit his "Manitoba Smith" persona in the head with a shovel? Better keep a watch on him and his alternate personalities either way. Multiple Mike doesn't deserve to suffer such agony. I know the real him is a kind-hearted guy, and Zoey is a caring and dedicated girlfriend who cherishes their relationship. They're lucky to have each other. I will give them that even if I didn't get along that well with the pigtailed girl when we competed together.

Suddenly, I noticed Scott glancing at me with a small smile, and I hide my excitement to avoid raising suspicions. Did he do that the first time as well when I wasn't looking? Is it when he first became attracted to me? As his eyes drifted elsewhere, I figured he was just looking around, but maybe that's how he first noticed yours truly when we competed. Either way, we didn't really interact until after I was switched over from the Heroic Hamsters to the Villainous Vultures.

That reminds me of another thing: while I was the season 2 antagonist and admittedly deserved to be on the villains' team all along when I first entered this season after all the vile things I did before, I'm going to prove myself more of a hero this time around or at least try to once McLean places me on the heroes' team. Gwen honestly should've been on that team then instead of me no matter how much I initially pretended otherwise out of spite. When Chris had Duncan switch teams with me, though (prompted by the leech challenge where delinquent had taken a leech to protect Gwen while I selfishly used Sam as a human shield against the leeches), it was amusing seeing Duncan's reaction to being on the heroes' team. Sorry Scott, but it doesn't look like we can bond much so soon on opposing teams (at least without raising eyebrows) and will probably have to wait until the merge. I know you'll be worth the wait, though. Same goes for making up with the goth.

My thoughts shift towards the other contestants. As I mentioned before, Al is in the robot suit at Wawanakwa. He and Heather do of course like each other even if they try to pretend otherwise. She has an anxious look on her face (probably out of concern for him) and can have that douche all to herself as I've long since been turned off to him for what he did to me. I'm not quite sure how serious they were before this season started up, though, and only know that they officially called themselves a couple after getting axed when money wasn't in between them.

When I first met the guy in season 3, he was largely a male version of what Heather was like in season 1 aside from how he faked interest in other girls (including me) and shamelessly exploited the genuine attractions they had to him. Both have also toned down their cunning and mean sides over time to some extent, but neither have entirely become kind-hearted or I probably wouldn't recognize them. Noah once told Owen to take caution then since Burromuerto was "an eel dipped in grease" and "like Heather, only with social skills". He was on the money and warned "beware of eels!" after Al orchestrated his elimination in response. If only I recognized that sooner.

Elsewhere on the helicopter is Duncan. He has his arm around Gwen and they share a kiss before her eyes fall upon me and she moves away from his lips. I know she feels guilty for doing that in front of me. This sight angered me when I saw them do that here as I first entered the season, but I don't show any emotion right now when I already know she'll dump him later for trying to get my attention and make me jealous instead of focusing on her. What a sleazebag. We will NEVER get back together. The goth's look of worry in turn seems to fade, but then shows confusion when she notices the delinquent smiling, obviously because he knew I saw what happened just like last time. Not giving you the satisfaction of saying so aloud, though, Duncan. Just fuck off. His smile wasn't as big this time because I didn't show any anger unlike before.

Time to look in another direction. I see Sam playing some video game and Sierra on her phone. How did those electronics survive getting wet when we were in that lake the first time around!? Maybe they had some sort of waterproof casing. Anyway, Lindsay is holding a mini mirror while applying some lipstick, Jo and Lightning are having an arm wrestle (they hate each other's guts and want to prove who's stronger or something), and then Ezekiel is in a corner by himself making unintelligible sounds. Nobody wants to be near him (especially after he went feral), not even Chef who kept him as far away as possible from the helicopter's controls. Smart move on the cook's part.

Since it'll be a long ride to camp, I pull a law book out from my bag and start reading. Good way to pass the time until we arrive. Reliving this season should be one hell of a ride. Having learned from all my past mistakes AND already lived through All-Stars, I feel more prepared to compete again than I ever did when previously returning to the show.

 **The game is about to begin again. How will our CIT perform this time around? Only one way to find out; stay tuned for upcoming chapters of course! You might be shocked by what follows.**

 **Chapter posted: August 4, 2018**


	3. Back At Wawanakwa

**The third chapter has arrived. It unsurprisingly took much longer to complete than the first two did. I'm also grateful for the praise this has been getting, and it's easily my most popular fic so far! Now I'll respond to reviews for the last chapter.**

 **GlitchWarrior: There will definitely be a different elimination order from canon, and I've already decided on much of it ahead of time, though obviously can't say here who goes out when due to spoilers. Same goes for who drives on behalf of the Hamsters. Glad you also like the idea of our time-traveler trying to protect Mike from Mal. Of course I know the difference between TDPI Max evil and real evil :P (though that wannabe villain and his antics amuse me). You're about to find out how the first challenge turns out with the CIT doing things differently!**

 **xtremexavier15: Glad you liked it, and I did check out "A Canadian's Redemption" as you've noticed.**

 **ShadowJcreed: Interesting idea for teams, though you'll find out how she responds to the setup soon enough and I already decided on what I was going to do before reading your comments. Protecting Mike from his evil Mal persona is definitely easier said than done.**

 **That1guyeveryonehates: Your username is amusing though misleading :P. Anyway, nice to know somebody thinks the CIT is a good choice for redemption! "Total Drama Redemption" by PurpleBandit3000 is definitely one of the best Total Drama fics I've ever read and I'm quite eager for the next chapter of its sequel "Noah's Tour of the World" to come out, though I would say this and other Redemption stories are more tributes than they are spin-offs. Your optimism for my story is also quite appreciated. All I can say about Courtney's knowledge right now without spoilers is that it'll lead to multiple major game-changers. As you've already noticed, xtremexavier15 has begun an Ezekiel Redemption story titled "A Canadian's Redemption".**

 **Nicky Haugh: Much appreciated :)**

 **That British Guy: I hope this continues to intrigue you.**

 **CMR Rosa: Yes Courtney did value winning over friendships and relationships throughout canon, but here that changed after her season 5 elimination. She's quite a different person after re-watching herself on camera indeed and badly wants to improve herself. Duncan definitely** **sabotaged** **any friendships he may have had with that explosion and getting arrested. As you know, I get the sense that however mean the CIT was in season 1, it became much worse in subsequent seasons with Harold tampering the votes to eliminate her. Courtney's home life won't be a big focus here. If anything, I'll probably just have brief mentions of her family members later on.**

 **Mistress Mysterious: It's about to get much more interesting here. Hopefully you enjoy.**

 **On with the chapter!**

The helicopter finally arrives at our campsite to compete. Let the games begin. Chef waits for a signal from Chris before letting us out. Once he gets the OK, Hatchet opens the door to let everybody out. The host called the names of each contestant as he wanted them to leave the helicopter. He calls for Mike, followed by Zoey, then Lightning, Cameron, Sam, Scott, and Jo before I hear my name. This time I just jump out on my own rather than Chef Hatchet dangling me from my leg and dropping me.

"Time for victory!" I shout out this time instead of complaining about my contract.

I splash in the water before I can hear anything else and somehow go deeper than before, but already know Gwen will come right after me, followed by Duncan, Heather, Lindsay, Sierra, and then the fake-out for Ezekiel who will get launched off the island. Just as I resurface, Sierra is doing a cannon ball into the water and hits my head!

"Watch where you jump!" I angrily tell her.

"Sorry, I just got excited about winning a season for my Cody-kins" she replies with a giggle.

Dear lord, do I feel sorry for Cody Anderson. She stalked him like crazy and wouldn't leave the poor guy alone during season 3. I should've treated him better as a teammate as well when the three of us competed on Team Amazon then along with Gwen and Heather. No, he obviously isn't dating her and never would even if they were the only two people on Earth; he has too much self-respect for that. She's just making crazy talk again by calling him hers and makes Izzy the crazy redhead from the first three season look sane in comparison.

Before either of us can say anything, McLean calls for Ezekiel and Chef drops the feral freak before Al in the robot suit grabs him.

"Kidding!" Chris tells the camera. "No way is that guy coming back again!"

After the host snaps his fingers, Alejandro fires Ezekiel far off into the distance.

"Man, it's great to be back." McLean continues.

The rest of us swam to shore, but this time I don't feel as exhausted as everybody else. Maybe it was the little feeling of joy I got when I caught Scott briefly staring at my ass while swimming before looking away. It was flattering and brought back my suspicions that he liked me ever since the day we started competing together. I wish I caught that the first time. No wonder he later got flirty with me during our first challenge as teammates. Anyway, Chris and the robot make their way over to meet all of us once we reached land.

"Greetings, old friends." The host chirped.

Heather coughed up a starfish and then retorted "I am NOT your friend."

"Aw, somebody misses her honey bunny." Lindsay taunts her, referring to Al.

"Who, Alejandro?" Heather asks before pushing her away. "As if! I'm GLAD he isn't back."

That was a blatant lie, especially when she muttered Burromuerto was a "handsome jerk", and I knew he really was on the island all along. I got an idea to test how she'd react to his presence and walked up to Chris. This is better than complaining about dry-cleaning which won't do me any good.

"Isn't that the robot you put Al inside to heal after he got burnt by lava?" I ask him and then to avoid suspicion quickly add "I re-watched the end of season 3 along with all the episodes from past seasons before coming back and am pretty sure that at least looks like what you used."

With a shocked look on his face, the host affirmed "You are one smart cookie, and wise choice to study up. It is in fact Alejandro and he WILL compete with all of you this season!" and then smiled as he took off the robot's head to reveal Alejandro's face, which was unshaven with messy hair as he had been kept inside the suit for a year without being let out.

Everyone else gasps in surprise, with Heather blushing upon realizing he had heard her comments. The facial expression she had was priceless! She then exclaims "You have GOT to be kidding me!" just like she did when seeing him freed from the robot when I first lived through All-Stars.

"I was planning to keep him a surprise and reveal his participation later on in the game, but since our CIT recognized him, may as well tell you now." adds Chris.

"Quite an observation, Courtney." Burromuerto congratulated me. "I didn't expect anybody to figure out I was trapped in this suit. Also, shame on Heather for her lies even though it's nice to know she still finds me handsome, and NOBODY should call me Al!"

There was then something I had to do to get back at him not only for manipulating me in the past but also for the future when he and Heather repeatedly kept me awake at night. While I know I said I wasn't really focused on vengeance, I had to make an exception here for this bastard. I grin mischievously and tell him "You probably didn't expect this either; payback!" before pushing his robot suit towards the water.

He screamed as the suit rolled quickly across the sand. Al struggled to control the suit as he was headed in a direction towards Lightning and Duncan. That wasn't my intention as I had aimed for simply the water instead of any specific person, but they both dodged in time to avoid getting hit. Duncan afterwards did something I never would've seen coming; he grabbed one of the robot's arms and flung him back towards land before it could get wet. The robot then got wedged between two rocks. He happened to be close to the arm as it approached him, so I suppose it was his reflex.

"A little help here?" Alejandro asked.

"Only because McLean will probably stall the challenge until you get freed." The delinquent rolled his eyes as he used his knife to cut open the robot suit.

Heather tried to hide her concern for her love interest before he was freed from that suit. Since his legs were asleep (for real this time, not like the next challenges where he faked it prior to ousting her), he walked on his hands as his arms could somehow still be used. In the meantime, she glared at me. I just smugly grinned, knowing I had gotten a reaction out of her as planned by unveiling the robot's identity. As a bonus, putting him in a pickle also helped get back at her for those nights at the apartment she kept me awake. Now that my payback had been dealt, it was time to re-focus on being a better person than I was before.

Chris then talked about how the island had been cleaned of radioactivity, which disappointed Sam and he told our host "I only came back to get up close and personal with some toxic goop, so I could become a kick-butt mutant, like my gal Dakota." and then showed a picture of him and a mutated Dakota Milton smiling together.

I distinctly remember what happened to her during the fourth season, Revenge of the Island. The agony of that mutation is something I would never wish upon even my worst enemy. This was someone who came on the show wanting fame from TV publicity, thinking it would give her the love she desired (which an aura-reading girl named Dawn observed) and was hellbent on getting screen time (prior to mutating) even if not as a contestant. It might sound desperate, but she never had any bad intentions and I feel sorry for her pains.

Ms. Milton unfortunately mutated from toxic exposure after Chris had her explore some old abandoned cave. The girl did ultimately get what she wanted (love) when Sam loved her for who she was both after and before the mutation. He gained my respect as a dedicated boyfriend to her when I watched the season after All-Stars first ended, and I really regret using the guy as a human shield against leeches when initially competing with him. However, there is something I need to say now before our host can mock his hopes.

"While Dakota might appreciate your sentiment if she's watching this, her distress while mutating and being exposed to toxic waste was by no means a pleasant experience." I tell him.

"You do have a point. She likes her super strength, but not struggling to fit into closed areas. I could win and split the money with her instead." The gamer relents.

Much better thinking, Sam, especially if she's had to spend lots of cash for any mutation treatments. I smile and give him a thumbs-up of approval. In fact, I just might arrange to share the million with Scott if either of us win this season. I do know Dakota was already quite wealthy before entering the show, but that might have changed since the season ended by needing expensive accommodations for her large size as a mutant. Chris doesn't taunt him over pain vs. gain this time, though Sam is still irritated when a squid on his head snatches away his photo, and then he quickly takes it back from the squid. A couple of interns then push a screen near the host since Alejandro isn't in the robot suit to serve him this time, which will allow him to show us the hotel and upcoming challenge.

"Anyway, I've upgraded your accommodations. This season, the losers still have to sleep in a stinky old cabin." McLean informs us, which makes everybody groan as they see the cabin on that TV. "But, the WINNERS get to stay in the ALL NEW ECO-FRIENDLY McLean Spa hotel! Complete with butler, hot tub, AND 24-hour masseuse."

The sight of that hotel prompts cheers from all the contestants, including me, even though I already knew about this. The host then continues with his announcements.

"For your All-Star status, here are the Heroes vs. Villains teams based on your past actions." before calling names for the Villainous Vultures: Heather, Lightning, Jo, Scott, Gwen, Alejandro, and Me.

Hold on, did McLean seriously just put me on team villain right off the bat!? Lightning proclaims "Sha-team!", and before Gwen can complain about her placement, I impulsively ask "How am I on team villain!?" in surprise.

Even though I knew this was what I deserved for past actions, I truly was shocked to be placed here so soon. The goth then inquires "Why did I end up here too!?" with a look of despair.

"I was going to put you on the heroes' team, Courtney, and Duncan on the villains' team, but then you showed more of your villainous side by pushing Al towards the water and reminded me of how you were the season 2 baddie. Do I need to go into further detail on your actions back then?" the host responded.

I quickly shake my head no before he continues.

"Gwen, um, you took advantage of Cody's major crush on you to try and save yourself from getting voted off in season 3 without giving him much if any gratitude. Duncan on the other hand just did something heroic by saving Alejandro from rusting. It then seemed even more fitting to have him on team hero after helping the guy out of that robot suit. That also somehow reminded me of how he tried to protect Owen from Al's schemes when last competing, which I do admit makes today's rescue ironic. Anyway, these team placements are also finalized until the merge unless I state otherwise. No amount of protesting will change that."

Gwen and I glare at Chris. He just HAD to bring up how I was in Total Drama Action. The host said nothing the first time around before I accused her of stealing Duncan from me as I didn't know then that the delinquent had made an advance towards her fully on his own terms, and just went along with my words at the time. Damn you, Chris; I'd like to put that behind me and wish you wouldn't torture people like that for no good reason.

By trying to get even with Alejandro, I already have inadvertently thrown a monkey wrench into my own plans to prove myself a hero or try to protect Mike from his inner demon Mal. Sorry Mike, but it doesn't look like I can really help now without making people suspicious when we're on opposing teams. On the plus side, I can now spend more time with Gwen and Scott. Looks like I will in fact have a chance to set things right with her sooner than before. Another benefit is I don't have to deal with the nutty Sierra as a teammate again.

"You seriously mean I'm on the lame-o hero team!?" the delinquent complains with a shocked look on his face.

"That's right. Starting now, you officially are one of the Heroic Hamsters along with Mike, Zoey, Cameron, Sam, Lindsay, and Sierra." McLean affirms before chuckling at Duncan's distress, who sulks in response while joining his new teammates.

Gwen, I know you feel bad about being placed on the villains' team, but Chris has made it clear you can't talk him out of this placement. It looks like he didn't have much reason to place you there before I falsely accused you the first time around of stealing Duncan, though, given his struggle to come up with a reason. I would've told him the bit on Cody was nothing compared to any of the bad that the other Villainous Vultures including me have done and that he purposefully exaggerated things to make her look worse than she really was in past seasons, but then he insisted complaints would do no good. I see the goth then walks over to the confessional outhouse, probably to complain about the team arrangements. After some thought, I decide to wait until the end of the day before I use that.

"This year's challenges all nod to classics from the past, but with harsh new twists to make this the toughest Total Drama season EVER! Your first challenge: find the key to the spa hotel AND you'll it in an homage to Total Drama's first ever challenge, cliff-diving into water infested with ravenous sharks." The host then sadistically proclaims after Gwen returns, showing us the elements to this challenge on his TV.

Scott then gulps with a fearful look on his face. I know terrified he is after Fang the mutant shark heavily targeted him during Revenge of the Island after he accidentally took a shark took and mauled the boy after he got voted off in the final four. He quite understandably has had a phobia of sharks ever since. That traumatic attack almost killed him, and Scott had to be put in life support afterwards. He afterwards toned down his evil streak big time, probably sensing the experience was a form of payback for him playing the game so dirty. I know many are grateful for him being much kinder than before even if he didn't entirely lose his mean side.

"Once you dive into the water, try to avoid the shark long enough to snag a key AND choose wisely; only one of those suckers is the real deal. Assuming you live long enough to reach dry land, a teammate will drive you to the hotel in one of the baby carriages from season 3's race through Central Park. First team to unlock the spa door wins, and someone from team loser WILL be going home tonight. Meet me at the base of the cliff in 15 minutes." Chris continues before telling an intern "Chop, chop" to drive him there.

"Wait! Shouldn't we change into our swimsuits or something first?" asks Mike.

"Sorry, no time!" McLean yells back as the intern drives away.

As we all walk over to our first challenge, Sam can be heard up ahead asking Sierra why she returned, who tells him "I want to win for Cody!" before going on some delusion about how they could have reached the season 3 finale together if she never blew up that jet Chris owned. No way could she feasibly reach the finals! It still shocks me how that nutcase got 4th place then. Hopefully she gets ousted sooner before the merge this time.

Back on our team, Heather mocking tells Jo "Excuse me" while rudely shoving her way ahead, who retorts "Watch it, old Heather!" before getting "YOU watch it, newbie!" in response.

Gwen tries to break up their spat with "Guys, just because Chris labeled us villains doesn't mean we have to act like villains. We're a team; we should work together as a team!" and all the other Villainous Vultures except me dismiss her words.

That's when I decide to make a difference among the team. There thankfully is a way I can also ease into a reconciliation with Gwen without seeming suspicious. "All conflicts aside, she IS right about teamwork." I defend the goth, who seems surprised and grateful that I would agree with her.

Duncan can then be seen glancing back in my direction and Gwen's, though I refuse to give him eye contact right now. Gwen then turns towards my direction. She then tells me "It's nice to know somebody agrees with me. Courtney, I also want you to know I'm really sorry for our past and want to make things right."

"Thank you, but let's wait until after the challenge and we have a moment alone to discuss this further." I reply.

"Fair enough." says the goth.

From the corner of my eye, Duncan has some smirk knowing that he was being referred to, even if indirectly. However, I refuse to that dipshit the satisfaction of saying so aloud. Lindsay seems to catch on as well. She then asks him something I had not expected.

"Are you getting some sort of pleasure from them implicitly mentioning you?"

Lindsay is known for often being a stereotypical dumb blonde and reminded me of the friendly air-headed Karen Smith from _Mean Girls_ when we first met. Her absent-mindedness frequently got on my nerves when we competed together in the past. She sometimes can have surprisingly accurate intuition, though. That was clearly one of her smarter moments. How that girl's mind works is beyond me.

"To tell the truth, yes." The delinquent affirms. "Hearing them argue over me later on will probably be amusing."

Even if I hadn't known the full truth about you and Gwen, Duncan, you're being too presumptuous about how my conversation with Gwen will go. The blonde frowns at him in response and turns away. She starts conversing with the other Heroic Hamsters. Thank you, Lindsay, for not being entirely mindless and having some actual dignity. I really wish you could be brighter like this more often.

As everyone reaches the base of the cliff, Chris arrives in a jetpack between a red baby carriage and a gold one. The red is for us Vultures while the gold is for the Hamsters. With 30 seconds to decide on a driver for each team, Scott quickly states "I'll drive", clearly wanting to avoid the sharks. I don't blame him after that Fang episode.

"Done!" I say before Jo can try to claim the spot, though she doesn't take to that very well.

"Who put you in charge of the team?" she inquires.

"Never said or even suggested that I was, but do you REALLY think he would willingly dive into shark-filled waters now after that Fang mauling last season? I saw what it did to him and know you did too." I tell her. "Trust me when I say this is for the best."

Grateful for my comments, Scott then adds "Courtney is right; I wouldn't want to touch those waters with a 20-foot-pole and we're better off if I drive."

"Sha-please, you're a big chicken!" Lightning taunts.

Talk about sha-inconsiderate! I'm trying to do us all a favor and Lightning mocks him for a perfectly reasonable fear. Last time around, Scott easily could've been voted off for refusing to jump if his team lost. I guess it was a blessing in disguise that I lost then when he was on the opposite team as the two of us otherwise probably couldn't have even gotten to know each other as well if at all, just like me later swapping teams with Duncan (or at least not prior to the merge). However, now that Scott's on my team, we really need to win.

While there was also a good chance Al could've gone home without immunity given his inability to use his legs or perhaps for being trapped in that robot suit, he somehow seems less likely now than Scott or me or be the first one out should we lose after my debate with Jo and if he again refuses to jump. I do know Alejandro is likely going to vote for me tonight unless we win after I flung him towards the water. Better not do anything stupid now. Watch your impulses, Courtney, and keep your head cool! I need to think of something fast to ensure Scott drives the carriage.

"If Scott drives, we'll have a much better chance of winning without any delays in the jumps! That's why I emphasize that he MUST be our driver."

Luckily for me, our 30 seconds expired right after that sentence, and Chris settled on Scott driving for the villains. Score for both of us! I then find that the heroes chose Sierra to drive. It looks like without me stupidly choosing Lindsay to drive, they could have a better chance of winning giving how fast the crazy girl can be, especially when motivated for something Cody-related.

"Thank you for this." Scott then tells me.

"Of course, just be sure to run as fast as you can today." I reply.

"Yes, ma'am!" he affirms with a salute.

With Scott and Sierra at the shore, the rest of us make our way to the top of the cliff. Game time now. Mike and Zoey look over the cliff and fearfully shout "Fang!" at the same time when they see him while peering over the cliff, which makes Gwen ask "Who?" as she also looks down.

Chris then asks the camera "Who's the best key spotter AND who's dead in the shark-infested water? Find out when we return on Total. Drama. All-Stars!" as it cuts to the commercial break and subsequently tells us "Places, people; it's diving time!" with a sadistic chuckle at the end.

"Since I didn't end up driving, I WILL take the team's first dive." Jo proclaims, and nobody objects to that.

Chris instructs us that only one member of teams can dive at once and we must wait until the carriage comes back before the next diver can jump. He then blows an air horn to start the challenge. Jo promptly makes a dash for the edge and jumps off.

The important part here is that Scott drives our carriage to make things more efficient. I don't care if Jo is more athletic than him; he'd otherwise probably slow down the team by not jumping. No amount of coercion could've made him jump. I remember how he clung to a rock out of fear while insisting he stay on top the first time around, with Lightning unsuccessfully trying to peel him off it and then backing into Alejandro in the robot suit, which made Al fall off the cliff and then burst out of that suit somehow once sharks attacked it. He then won his team the challenge by grabbing the correct key and getting to the hotel first. Could I perhaps find it this time?

Anyway, Lindsay takes the first jump for her team and screams while falling. Not what I would've predicted. Interesting how both the drivers from my first time living through the season are now the initial jumpers. Both girls plummet towards the ground and splash at about the same time and Jo kicks Fang in the nose. Unsurprisingly, she comes up out of the water first with a key, and orders Scott "Prove your worth by hauling me over!"

He then sprints towards the hotel as Lindsay surfaces with another key before taking off with Sierra, who shouts "For Cody!" as they make their way to the hotel. The four then disappear in the woods, and nobody else can jump until the drivers and key carriers return. Mike then asks everyone "Think Sierra's OK?" while pointing to his brain, referring to her obvious insanity, and the rest of us shake our heads no in response.

We all watch for them to come back, and I start to become a bit anxious. What if the air-headed blonde got the right key when not pushing the carriage? That would spell trouble for all of us. As she and my dirty blonde athletic teammate return with the carriage pushers, I let out a small sigh of relief that nobody else hears. We've already had multiple major game changers because of me, and I would hate for them to lead to my first loss of the season right now.

Before any of the Vultures can stop me, I decide to take our next dive. Which of the Hamsters goes next? Duncan of all people. Not something I look forward to. The two of us rapidly descend as he taunts "Watch where you land, princess" while catching up to me.

"Fuck off; I'm not in the mood for you or your shit!" I snap at him.

We both splash in the water before he can say anything else. Maybe it's for the best as I'd likely get even more irritated by having to deal with that dickhead. I know I'm striving to be a better person, but he somehow finds ways to really get on my nerves no matter how much I try not to let him. He needs to get eliminated before I lose my mind. The less often we must interact (aside from perhaps him telling me about Mal), the better.

As I search for a key, I try to picture what the right one looks like from re-watching this challenge. Unfortunately, not having any goggles or mask to wear makes my vision blurry and much harder to find what I want. I then hope for the best and grab the closest one. Duncan is already off in the distance with Sierra headed towards the hotel. Scott doesn't need to be told to start running after them fast once I get into our carriage.

While pushing me towards the hotel, he then decides to spark up a conversation. "I'd really like to thank you again, Courtney, for insisting I drive this thing. That means quite a lot to me."

"Not a problem." I reply as we make our way through the woods. "I knew it was best for our team, now let's win!"

Duncan and Sierra then appear from some other part of the woods and we race for the hotel. I make my way to the entrance neck-and-neck with the delinquent. He gets there seconds before I do, but his key thankfully is no good. Mine unfortunately was also wrong and both of us head back to our carriages. As crazy as it might sound, Duncan already seems to be giving Scott an angry look. Did he hear us talking on the way over and feel jealous? Either way, we have a race to win.

The four of us make our way back to the cliff base. I then see Alejandro jumping for the Vultures and Cameron Wilkins the bubble boy jumps for the Hamsters. It looks like having different drivers AND team setups really made a difference in the jumping order. After the carriages are emptied, Cameron comes to shore with a key. Uh-oh; I just remembered how in this season Sierra goes even crazier than before (which is saying quite a lot) while somehow seeing him as Cody after their friendly bonds and becomes disturbingly attached to him. Watch out, Wilkins! Right after she starts pushing, Al drags himself to land with his arms and is carrying a key as well, struggling with his incapacitated legs. As much as I hate to say it, since Scott is failing to carry the guy on his own, I have no choice but to help lift him into the carriage if we want any chance of victory. This is something I do ONLY to help us win.

Scott then pushes Alejandro over to the hotel as they catch up to nutty girl and bubble boy. I then start worrying again about what could happen, but it turns out we got the correct key this time and won. Does Burromuerto have some special sense for keys? In any case, it feels fantastic to win the season's first challenge, especially within shorter time than before! All the Vultures including me cheer for our victory as the Hamsters groan in defeat. As McLean promised, we get to spend the night in this hotel while the losers must vote off one of their teammates.

It truly amazes me how much one change on my part (exposing the robot's identity and flinging it towards water vs. complaining about laundry) made such a difference today. The butterfly effect is real. I also don't mind being on the villains' team so much now, especially after winning the challenge today with Gwen AND Scott as teammates. As I walk towards the confessional, I overhear him using it.

"Oh okay, so maybe I have a phobia of sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sharks. Can you blame me?" He asks the camera in a shaky voice, alluding to how Fang mauled him and making clear he still feels traumatized by the ordeal, and then sounds calmer when continuing. "This makes me beyond grateful for what Courtney did today. While we might be on the villains' team and I normally wouldn't say this sort of thing about people, she's my hero for saving me from having to dive into shark waters. It also helps that she's pretty AND smart, so nice to have her as a teammate. Maybe we could be allies."

Hearing that gave me tears of joy. Nobody has ever called me their hero before! This is especially touching for someone like me given how much of a cunt I was in the past and coming from the guy I wanted to date. Even if on a team of villains right from the start, knowing I was a hero to my love interest showed I was already making a difference for the better this time around, plus this made it obvious he liked me from the beginning. I of course would gladly be his ally. As tempted as I feel to go in and kiss him for that sentiment, it would raise lots of eyebrows (including his) and I shouldn't invade his private moment (or at least what is private among the camp as these do get broadcast on public TV). I instead stay silent as the tears come out and wait for him to leave the area. After they stop, and I dry my eyes took make them look normal, I then enter the confessional.

Facing the camera, I need to say something that isn't suspicious. Something comes up before long. "Winning today's challenge was glorious! Even though the island is as gross as before and Chris is still a horrid schmuck, I have some hope for this season, in large part because of that luxurious hotel. Watching the previous seasons before coming back also helps me feel prepared." I state before exiting the outhouse.

Before the night is over, I need to talk things out with Gwen as I told her we would. The goth is seen talking with Duncan nearby the hotel. No surprise there as the two are still a couple right now. Hard to say exactly what their conversation is about. Regardless, I decide to wait from a distance until they finish and follow her inside after they stop talking and he walks away. Time to set things right.

"Gwen, I do believe you said something earlier about wanting to make things right, and I felt we should wait until after the challenge and are alone before going into details. Now that we won the challenge and have a moment to ourselves, I'm all ears." I tell her.

The goth turns around and affirms "Yes I did. To be honest, I feel horrid about what happened during season 3. I should've just told you about that Duncan kiss right after it happened and am sorry I didn't. He made his move before I could stop him, and as wrong as this sounds, I was too caught up in the moment and my excitement to stop him. I'm not making excuses for it but felt you should know the truth. Even if you don't forgive me, I do need to say I'm sorry for everything that went down."

When initially living through All-Stars, I wouldn't have believed her at first, but I do of course know here she means it. Didn't think she'd let it all out so soon, but I do the same and respond "In all honesty, I do wish you had told me yourself instead of having to hear about that from Tyler and had tried to stop the advance, though can see why you'd hesitate to reveal what happened. After watching the episode again, I also need to say sorry for taking my anger out more on you than Duncan, especially when seeing your guilt in the next episode. He was much more at fault for that kiss than you as he was the one who made the move on his own terms. I also regret becoming so hellbent on eliminating you instead of him then. Rage got to my head and it was wrong of me. Perhaps this could've been avoided if you instead got back with your ex Trent or gave Cody a chance, but I already knew neither of those were likely to happen regardless and still doubt they ever will. While there's no way I can ever forgive Duncan for cheating, the fact that you said what you did means a lot plus makes you a much better person than him, and I am grateful for it."

I meant every word of that. Before my chart fiasco and this exchange, I was the type of person who very rarely ever said sorry for my wrongdoings and would tend to just blame others for what they did. Justin, Duncan, and Harold were among the recipients. Out of those three, I first apologized to Justin for toying with his heart in between seasons 2 and 3. Duncan came next, also in between those seasons, where I admitted that list of ways he needed to change was out of line (though I still regret getting back together with him after our season 2 breakup). Later during the fourth season, I talked things out with Harold where we both agreed we did things we shouldn't have (i.e. he rigged the votes to orchestrate my season 1 elimination and I tricked him into voting off his love interest Leshawna during season 2), and that it would've made more sense for him to tamper the votes to eliminate Duncan instead in season 1 if anybody (though rigging votes is still wrong). My chart of course erased any amends I made with others and I unsuccessfully tried to save my ass by apologizing to Gwen until she insisted I vote myself off to prove my sorrow. This time, however, both of us are admitting our faults without any incentive other than remorse and wanting to be friendly again.

"Is it too soon to ask to be friends again?" she then asks me with a bit of hesitation. "I miss what we used to have."

"No, I miss that too and would like to turn over a new leaf." I state.

The two of us embrace with a brief hug as she then whispers a "Thank you" and I whisper back "Thank you too". I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and can tell she feels the same way. Now that we've made amends, both of us can enjoy the hotel's luxuries without worrying about our past tensions. This is what we should've done in the first place. No accidental injuries or distresses, just people talking in a private area with nobody around to make things awkward. Chris McLean will later call us out with the rest of the Vultures to attend the elimination ceremony as the Hamsters must vote someone off.

That's when I remember something that happened when I first lived through the season; Mal would rig the votes against Cameron once the merge came along. Even though Chris let him stay that night (probably suspecting they had been messed with) when Duncan had already been disqualified and arrested for blowing up his mansion, I need to prevent any tampering. Time to talk with McLean.

I go outside and find him relaxing by the shore with Chef Hatchet. That cook is likely his only friend (or at least his closest thing to a friend), and for good reason. Walking over to the deck, I tap on the host's shoulder.

"Chris, there's something I need to talk with you about." I inform him.

"Can it wait?" He asks me with some irritation. "I'm trying to tan here with Chef."

"No; it's quite important, and Hatchet should probably hear this as well." I reply. "The box of votes can easily be broken into for tampering. Remember how Harold messed with the votes to kick me off in the first season and then I sued for that unfair elimination? You need to take more precautions against that unless you're willing to risk another lawsuit if it happens to someone again. Maybe a more secure lock would help."

Chef then comments "I'd listen to her. You can't afford people suing or trying to sue the show more than they already have."

The host sighs and says "OK fine. If it makes you feel any better, then I'll also have people sign their names on the back of each paper to compare handwriting AND promise to instantly disqualify anybody who tries to rig the votes this time by reviewing all the confessional footage to detect tampering. Those locks unfortunately are the strongest ones we have, or I would use something better."

"Much appreciated, and that does help." I thank him.

Cameron, you'll be grateful I did this in case Mal comes around again and tries to unfairly send you home. As someone who knows from experience how you felt, consider this a personal favor for you. I then make my way back to the hotel. This overall has been a much better start for me than I could have imagined when re-entering the season. We get called out to attend the elimination ceremony afterwards. Us winners will watch as the losers vote someone off.

Chris McLean welcomes everybody and notes that the winners attend as a peanut gallery to view the elimination results before getting a deluxe dinner from the hotel. I cheer with the other Vultures upon hearing that part. He then tells us "Before we start, I need one winner to volunteer for a SPECIAL reward."

I of course know the "reward" is going to exile on Boney Island to try finding the hidden McLean immunity idol that negates any votes against whoever possesses it. Before anybody else can say anything, Lightning volunteers by running up and proclaiming "Ha, Sha-Lightning!"

"Great!" our host replies. "Your reward is spending the night in exile on Boney Island with all the hungry wild animals!"

"Aw great, how is that a reward?" the jock asks.

"Because there's a McLean invincibility statue hidden somewhere on Boney Island." Chris informs him while holding one of the statues. "Find it, and you're golden."

An irritated Scott groans "Ugh, NOW he tells us."

Chef then takes Lightning away to Boney Island as McLean says "This year, you get to vote by placing an X on the 8x10 photo of the person you want to eliminate. Also, be sure to write your names on the back of each photo so I know who voted for who. You WILL get immediately kicked off if you try to rig the votes as I'm reviewing the footage for each vote that people cast and am guaranteed to catch any tampering. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Now, get voting."

Thank you, Chris, for listening to me AND following through on your word! We're bound to have a better game this time around. In the meantime, it's harder to say this time who the first contestant eliminated shall be when they didn't have Lindsay struggling to push a carriage. Once the votes are cast, Chris has a plate of six marshmallows. Just like in the first season, whoever doesn't get one is out of the game. Lindsay also doesn't have a red X on her face now, meaning she didn't get discouraged enough by today's challenge this time to vote herself off (probably because she just had to do one jump instead of running back and forth so much).

The host then says "OK, the following people are safe: Cameron, Zoey, Mike, Sam, and Lindsay." while tossing marshmallows to each as he called their names.

Another game-changer with Lindsay not getting the first boot! Duncan and Sierra are in the bottom two as McLean gives reasons why either of them could go home while holding the final marshmallow.

"Sierra, you're on the chopping block for being an obsessive creepy stalker with little to no sanity who irks people and often needlessly goes on about Cody. It gets to be rather much, and he will never love you." He states.

"Don't you EVER say that about my Cody-kins!" Sierra angrily retorts.

"Whatever." The host dismissively replies before continuing. "Duncan, you're on the chopping block for your lack of team spirit and not getting along that well with your teammates today."

"Would YOU like to be stuck somewhere you knew you didn't belong?" the delinquent asks.

"Get over it! We all know you got yourself onto this team by making a heroic rescue earlier today on YOUR OWN TERMS." Chris snaps as Duncan sulks in response. "Anyway, the loser is…

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Sierra!"

Duncan then gets the last marshmallow. I won't miss either of them at all and personally would've preferred him going out, but her elimination is also fine by me.

"You seriously voted ME off!?" a shocked Sierra inquires, and points to the delinquent while adding "I did much more work for the team than him!"

"He at least is sane." Cameron remarks.

"Bubble boy is right, and this year, we've got a BRAND-NEW elimination device." Chris tells everyone with a smile.

He then takes the Hamsters to a giant toilet to give Sierra the flush of shame. It's too far away for me to hear, but I already know he's announcing what the thing does. It grosses out all the remaining team members. McLean presses a button to activate it. The nutty girl screams while being flushed as the host holds an umbrella to protect himself from the toilet water splash (disgusting!), which soaks everyone else on the team, and signs off the episode.

It's time for the Vultures to eat some dinner. I go inside the hotel and wash my hands before dining. Our dinner tonight is a barbecue buffet with chicken wings, hamburgers, hot dogs, and ribs. Filling up my plate with one of each, I sit next to Gwen and the two of us enjoy feasting. Scott takes the other chair next to me and begins to eat. This of course is a fantastic night. I not only won the challenge, got a friend back, and figured out for sure the guy I like is also into me, but also have a delightful dinner!

Once dinner was finished, it was getting late, so I decided to shower and brush my teeth. The showers here are of course far better than what one finds in the communal bathrooms. I get into my pajamas afterwards and brush my teeth before going to the bedrooms. A finger then taps on my shoulder. I turn around to see Scott.

"Courtney, I need to thank you again for insisting I drive instead of diving into the waters. I probably would be shark-bait otherwise." He tells me.

"Of course." I reply. "Since it's now late at night, I do need my rest before the next challenge starts up."

"Before you go to bed, though, I do have something to ask. Would you care for an alliance? I feel it's the least I can do in return for your favor." He questions.

"Gladly!" I affirm and shake hands with him, trying not to show too much of my excitement. "Now good night, Scott; we need to be awake and alert for what McLean has next."

He then turns to open one of the bedroom doors as I enter another. Co-ed rooming sounds nice, but I'm not going to get more than platonic with him just yet as he's only known me for a day so far. That would be too weird. Gradual steps, Courtney. Rushing into things will end badly. I then get into one of the beds and drift off to sleep.

 **First challenge complete, and the game is already quite different from before thanks to Courtney! Given that this chapter took me eight days to get out after the last, that probably is going to be the minimum amount of time future chapters will take to write. Keep in mind I have to focus on work during much of the daytime, and when off hours have to re-watch canon episodes to refresh myself on anything I forgot (largely exact quotes from canon) as well as rewrite things to accommodate the CIT's changes. There's also my offline life outside of work that takes up a good amount of time.**

 **Reason for elimination: With Courtney not on the Hamsters to make Lindsay drive the carriage (and do a horrid job at it), I figured the air-headed blonde could stay around longer as the team would likely be irked by Sierra's insanity and want her out early instead.**

 **Elimination Order :**

 **Sierra (14th place)**

 **Remaining Players :**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Cameron, Duncan, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Jo, Lightning, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: August 12, 2018.**


	4. Sculpture Building

**Time for chapter four and challenge two! Done in six days (not bad), though you still shouldn't expect any specific posting rate from me. I'm giving more review response before anything else.**

 **CosmicWarrior: It was obvious you meant to say Gwen and not Heather :P. Sorry if the reconciliation felt rushed, but with Courtney clearly wanting to show the goth she was sorry in canon after the chart fiasco and knowing that she would want to make amends sooner rather than later, I knew I had to give something before the first day on the island was over and it was hard to think of anything better. Not sure I'd say it feels "bizarre" to read Cody's POV in your "Cody's Redemption" story, though can understand why it might feel odd for people used to seeing this show from a camera's view rather than just focusing on what the individual people are thinking as they compete. Sierra is definitely crazier than Izzy and I was happy to take out the crazy Cody stalker. Mal won't go down without a fight once he shows up. Don't forget the series is called Total DRAMA for a reason; having a villain to cause drama helps the show live up to its name. It also wouldn't be as interesting without villains ever in the game.**

 **xtremexavier15: Many thanks. I've also read and reviewed your latest chapter for "A Canadian's Redemption". Just so you know in advance, I'm not sure how often I'll be able to keep up with that (largely due to my focus on this story as well as my offline life), so it's best not to keep asking for views.**

 **StarHeart Specials: "Destroyed" sounds rather harsh, but I definitely have plans for Lindsay as you'll see here, and feel the girl should've gotten further than she did in TDWT as well as canon TDAS.**

 **That British Guy: Not sure if you're saying this more because you didn't like TDAS very much or you just felt my changes to the first challenge were simply brilliant, but I'm honored you liked it so much!**

 **ShadowJcreed: "Kinda crazy" is an understatement for Sierra. Given how outraged Courtney was when Harold rigged the vote against her in season 1, I imagined she would sympathize with Cameron when Mal did the same to him during season 5 and want to prevent that from happening again.**

 **GlitchWarrior: The less we have to deal with Sierra's craziness, the better. You'll see what happens with the CIT knowing about Alejandro's legs.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Glad you've liked this so far! You can definitely say PurpleBandit3000 had quite an impact on fanfiction (probably more than he could've initially imagined). Our time-traveler certainly has learned from her mistakes and feels remorse for them. Scott definitely likes her already and she feels the same way, but thinks it's too soon for them to become a couple right now. The CIT feels their alliance is like a stepping stone towards that and wants it to build up gradually. There was also no way I could reasonably eliminate Lindsay when she didn't drive for the Hamsters this time or even have anyone vote for her then since Sierra's too insane to be worth keeping around.**

 **Anti-hero 69: Much appreciated, and while Courtney is definitely friends again with Gwen, she and Scott aren't in a relationship now (even though they both want one) as she doesn't feel like suddenly jumping into things.**

 **Chapter time!**

I wake up feeling quite refreshed. Jo and Gwen apparently are already awake given how neither are in the bedroom now, leaving just Heather and me. That was easily the best sleep I've had since that night right before the merge when I first lived through All-Stars, which was also in this hotel. No Sierra waking me up by snapping her camera in my face this time (thank god!) to update her photo collection, and I'm sure Lindsay and Zoey can sleep more peacefully without her disturbing them.

Another bonus? There's no more waking up with guilty feelings of betraying Gwen or Scott for the first time since I made that dumb chart, and certainly no anguish over mercilessly targeting her for elimination back in season 3 or having to listen to Heather and Alejandro in their apartment while trying to fall asleep. While the future Mrs. Burromuerto is in my room and just waking up now (it seemed inevitable before I went back in time that they would eventually marry or at least get engaged), it's a welcome change to not have her wake me up or keep me awake. Chances are she or her "honey bunny" (to quote Lindsay) will be the first one I choose to vote off if our team loses unless someone else royally screws up in a challenge.

Speaking of Mr. Burromuerto, his legs should be awake again by now. I could put a foil to him pretending otherwise! Imagine the looks on their faces. This will have to be subtle, though. I exit the bedroom, and just my luck; he walks close by.

"Nice to have your legs back, huh?" I ask him loud enough for Heather to hear as my bedroom door is still open.

"It is! Just don't tell Heather yet." He replies.

Gotcha! His plans to trick her (and others) are now out the window. In response, I tell him "I see no good reason not to as she'd probably like to know that."

She then walks out from the bedroom and adds "Courtney's right; this IS something I'd want to know about."

"I, um, wanted to tell you myself later on?" he lies, obviously struggling to find a credible cover-up for his plans to pretend he couldn't use his legs.

"Whatever. Just make yourself useful today." Heather says before getting dressed, probably not believing the deceptive prick.

Now with Al not trying to fake asleep legs, he should be more of a team asset if he doesn't try any funny business. Time for some breakfast before the challenge. I walk over to the dining area where Scott and Gwen are sitting. The ginger boy is eating lots of sausages and the goth has a plate stacked with pancakes. Both things sound good to me. His face lights up when seeing me, but says nothing because his mouth is full, so he just greets me with a hand wave and I smile while waving back. After grabbing some pancakes and sausages, I join them at the table.

"Sleep well?" Gwen asks me while perking up, probably still bummed beforehand about being on team villain.

"Most definitely, and I hope both of you did too." I answer before taking a bite of pancake.

"The hotel beds are nice, so yes." The goth replies. "Too bad Lightning couldn't enjoy the experience."

Once Scott finishes his plate of sausages, he adds "The guy's been through worse. I'm sure he's fine."

Unfortunately for the sha-jock, I know from re-watching the season he ends up eating a foul fish on Boney Island that makes him vomit throughout the day and may have already done so by now.

Jo joins the table and tells us "I just hope Lightning doesn't find the invincibility statue" as a waiter serves her a plate of steaks.

No; he never does, but I clearly can't tell her that and just eat my breakfast in silence. She then continues "If we don't vote him off soon, he'll be too strong for us to beat later."

Scott then rubs his chin and suggests "So maybe we should do it right away. Throw the next challenge."

Jo scoffs "Pfft, and give up all this? No way!"

He then relents "True enough; this is sweet! You know what I slept on last night? A pillow filled with feathers!", sounding and looking very joyful talking about that pillow and then adds "Back on the farm, it's a burlap sack filled with small animals. You ever had a pillow bite your face?"

"I'd like to enjoy my breakfast now, and that will require you to stop talking." Jo replies before biting into one of her steaks.

Scott had every right to be ecstatic about the pillows; I love lying on those! Too bad he would still even momentarily consider throwing challenges a good idea to potentially get rid of people, but I know that mentality won't last. Once my plate is cleared, I use the toilet and brush my teeth. Alejandro can then be heard screaming loudly, which must be from that eyebrow wax he orders. Right afterwards, Chris announces through a megaphone "Attention campers, it's challenge time; get your hineys down to the beach pronto!"

We all then make our way to the beach for our second challenge. I of course already know that the Vultures must put together pieces of the clock tower Big Ben from London while the Hamsters must assemble New York City's Statue of Liberty. Having worked on the Liberty statue last time, though, I feel less prepared than yesterday as I now must build Big Ben. Can I win it for us now?

Another thought occurs to me; team hero might have a better chance with Lindsay still around as opposed to Sierra. Why is that? Because I remember the blonde somehow was able to put together almost all of a sculpture on her own in a season 3 challenge before DJ destroyed it with a cart, where he was focused on an absurd campaign to get rid of some supposed "curse" he had with hurting animals that in reality was all in his head as Leshawna tried to assure him and purely coincidence (especially considering how there were those that hurt him rather than the other way around). Better hope for the best here.

Everyone but Lightning gathers at the shore on their respective team decks. Sam is normal rather than woozy this time. Instinct tells me Duncan prevented this by killing the mosquito that somehow drained much of his blood and left him feeling light-headed the first time I lived through All-Stars. Regardless, the delinquent tries to wave at Gwen, who gives no response to his dismay. Chris then taunts "Ooh, somebody's invisible!" and chuckles a bit before adding "Harsh! TV couples; is it ever a good idea?"

Lightning then comes back from exile and flips onto our deck. It admittedly is an impressive move, but not important to what follows for us. Scott asks him "Any luck finding the invincibility statue?" with an elbow nudge and evil-looking grin only to get a narcissistic "No need; I AM an invincibility statue!" in response from the jock, which makes me facepalm and prompts scowls from all the other Vultures.

Our host greets us and informs "Some of you will recall our season 3 Parisian find-and-build-a-sculpture debacle. Well, this time our interns have buried 3D puzzle pieces all over the beach. 7 pieces per team. Find all your pieces and assemble them on your platform to recreate one of the landmarks visited on our world tour. First to finish wins."

He then pauses so we can process that. McLean then continues "Since the Villainous Vultures won the first challenge, they get to dig with shovels; incoming!" as Chef tosses shovels to us.

Like Alejandro and Jo, I catch a shovel as it comes to me while Heather screams. Scott unfortunately gets hit in the face with one. Gwen screams in fear of getting hit before Lightning catches it less than a foot away from her face. He then hands it to her and catches two behind his back, proclaiming "Sha-yoink!"

Heather then asks for one, only for Lightning to deny it, claiming "I need both; when this one gets tired, I'll use this one."

I then interject "Do you really think you can dig with one arm at a time!?" before Heather tells me "I sure don't" and smacks him hard in the face with one, taking it with her as he faints.

Sam asks Chris "Hey, where are our shovels?" and Mike adds "Yeah, what are we supposed to dig with?"

The host says "Sorry; shovels are for winners only" and chuckles before adding "I guess you'll have to use your hands. Also, getting on and off your platforms will be challenging due to the moats that are filled with crabs."

"What moats?" Lindsay inquires.

"The ones thinly covered near the bases of your platforms." McLean responds.

Jo then pokes some sand near our platform, which quickly collapses. Lightning then announces "No big thing for Light-o-ning. Sha-bam!" and jumps down only to get knocked into the moat by a plank, reminding me of the booby traps on this beach. He then yelps in pain as the crabs attack him. My whole teams look at him with concern except for Jo, who seems to enjoy the sight.

Chris sadistically laughs at this and says "I don't know why, but it gets funnier every time. You might also want to watch out for booby traps in the sand. Your challenge starts now!", blowing an air horn as he finishes the last sentence.

Before anybody can say anything else, I tell them "Let's separate the beach into quadrants and each pick a quadrant!"

"Glad somebody's trying to strategize." Jo compliments me. "However, it's better to start from one end and dig to the other one in a straight line."

"And what if the pieces are all at the far end, huh, huh?" Heather questions. "We need two lines that push in towards the center. Right guys?"

"Ain't nobody telling Lightning where to dig. I'm my own man!" sha-jock proudly tells us as he idiotically goes off to dig in the water.

Liking Heather's idea more than what Jo offers, I answer "Two lines are better than one as they cover more ground."

"Thank you, now we need to figure out who starts digging where." Heather says.

I jump to one corner to mark my digging area, and then start digging a line towards our moat. Heather smirks at a frowning Jo instead of arguing over leadership before they each go to other corners. Gwen then takes the last corner. We each dig towards the middle. On the other side, I hear Lindsay setting off one of the booby traps, which is a landmine with filthy clothing.

"Ew, Chef's dirty laundry!" our host announces from a distance and adds "Pretty Stinky!" as the blonde tosses some underwear away from her and yells "That's go gross!" in disgust.

Cameron then sees a fedora and walks over to Mike, telling him "We could use some of Manitoba Smith's treasure hunting skills right about now!"

Multiple Mike's Manitoba personality then takes over as the hat gets placed on his head. Manitoba then starts digging crazily fast through the sand! He pops up underground with a piece and says "G'day, beauty!" as he tosses it up the platform.

"Faster!" I tell my teammates with concern.

Heather luckily hits something, proclaiming "I found a piece!" as she tosses it up towards the platform, but it lands on Jo's foot as she walks over.

Jo angrily pushes Heather into the crab-filled pit where she gets attacked and then gets our piece onto the platform. At least we have some progress now.

"Two booby traps, two puzzle pieces, and two deliciously evil moats! It's still anyone's game but it won't be for long." McLean tells the camera it prepares for a commercial break. "Right here on Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

After an hour of digging, each team somehow has only found one piece and Lightning has more than once run off to vomit because of that fish he ate. What the hell is up with that!? Those interns did a damn good job of making them hard to find. I will give them credit for that. Our host can be heard saying to the camera "An hour has passed, and the teams are still tied at one all, which raises a pertinent question; WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG!?"

Every contestant complains at once, making it hard to hear anybody. All I know is I said that "They're too well hidden!" and Chris didn't really care.

"Blah, blah, blah, whine, whine, hurry it up; I have dinner plans!" McLean snaps.

Cameron steps on a booby trap soon afterwards that sends him flying over to our side of the beach right into Scott, who laughs at the bubble boy's pain until he gets hit. Wilkins then runs away as Scott turns around to see another one of our pieces. "Way to go!" I cheer as Scott tosses it to our platform.

"And that's two for the Villains!" our host announces, happy someone finally found something.

Zoey grunts while struggling to pull out another piece for the Hamsters. I see Manitoba running over to help and telling her "It's alright sweetheart, don't strain yourself; allow me" before he tries to lift it himself and she replies "Well, if you insist".

A cannon booby trap then pops out from the sand and fires out a boxing glove, barely missing Manitoba Smith as he dodges. It soars and hits Duncan, knocking him into the pit to get attacked by crabs. I'm grateful that isn't me getting hit this time. Those crab-filled pits are torture! He yelps in pain while getting pinched. My ex climbs out with crabs attacking him. The delinquent runs to the water to get them off and resumes digging.

Back on the Vultures, Gwen shouts "Yes; got one!" as she finds our third piece.

"Toss it up!" I tell her, and she happily complies as Jo proclaims "Finally!" while finding another piece and pulls it from the sand.

Lightning then snatches Jo's piece, announcing "Lightning to the rescue; way to go me!" to her irritation as she yells "Hey, come back here with that!".

Sam carries a piece and tries to tell his team about it only for a pole to pop out of the ground before he finishes his sentence and hits him right in the balls. Poor guy. Chris then taunts him with a pun by asking Chef "Nuts?" as he holds up a bowl of actual nuts.

Sha-idiot then announces "Ha! Too small for Lightning!" as he tosses one of our pieces behind his head and hits Jo, knocking her into the crab pit.

Focusing back on myself, I dig a deep hole, but find no pieces. I can hear water rushing and look up to see a soaking wet Gwen activated one of the booby traps. Lightning then tosses up two more pieces for our sculpture. Trying to take most of the credit, are we? He then asks his biceps "Aren't you beautiful?" and then kisses one and says, "Look at gorgeous you" before kissing his other one and calling himself a "sexy beast" and kissing them both again.

The next thing I know, Scott crosses over to the other side to steal one of their pieces with a devious grin on his face. No; you can't do that! Before I can say anything, though, Manitoba catches this and asks him "What are you up to, kookaburra?"

Scott fakes innocence and questions "Whatever do you mean?"

Manitoba sticks one finger in his mouth, sticks it in the sand, and tastes it. That's quite awkward. He then digs up the stolen piece and grabs Scott by the tank top, telling him "Ha! Nice try, you wily dingo!"

Scott steps back and accidentally activates a booby trap with bees. I shout to them "Watch out for the bees!" as Scott turns around to run and unintentionally hits Manitoba in the back of the head with his shovel, knocking him out.

A concerned Zoey comes over and attempts to wake up her boyfriend. She repeatedly calls his name while nudging him and then says "Oh, please be OK. Mike?"

"Oh, my head." he groans while regaining consciousness.

"No stop; you need to rest" the pigtailed girl cautions him.

He then gets up and walks while assuring her "I'm OK. Come on; we gotta get back to digging." as Scott screams while running away from the bees.

While digging for pieces of my own, I overhear Mike saying he can't bring out Manitoba Smith as he puts the fedora back on. Uh-oh! This reminds me that one of the early signs of Mal's emergence is Mike has no access to his other personalities (or at least not so easily). Looks like that shovel hit was in fact what brought out his suppressed inner demon. Not blaming you, Scott, since you couldn't have known this would happen.

It doesn't look like I can stop Mal from appearing, but maybe I can at least reduce his appearances by keeping Mike from hitting his head with a boulder to try to get himself back to normal, which I now remember was counter-intuitive as it made the evil persona appear much more often. Would another shovel hit be less dangerous, or should he just go get professional help? In any case, while we're about to be in danger, I unfortunately can't tell people about this now without giving away my time-travel and thus setting myself up for elimination as they'd surely want me out for having such a big advantage. While Mal doesn't exactly show up just yet, it's only a matter of time before his chaos begins.

Back to my side, I finally find a piece! It feels great and I toss that up to the platform. Cameron struggles to carry one of his pieces, and Lindsay helps him lift the thing up towards their platform. It's getting close when they now have six. I hear Zoey tell them "You guys start working on the puzzle; we'll keep digging" as she and Mike look for their seventh piece.

Looking at each piece the Hamsters have, bubble boy wonders aloud "A book, a crown, what the heck are we supposed to be building?" before reaching an epiphany and realizes they're for the Statue of Liberty and Lightning takes another piece, telling us "That's seven; let's start sha-building" and we head over to our platform.

Victory is within our grasp, and I can feel it! Seeing Lindsay and Cameron put Lady Liberty together without much issue (aside from missing their last piece), I promptly start assembling our clock tower. Unfortunately, fitting them together is harder than I thought it would be. Heather orders us "Come up people; put this thing together already!" as I retort "You try helping us!" and Alejandro tells me "Try those two together", and then grabs a piece to match what I have.

The progress feels somewhat slow, though there still is something. Heather then takes the pieces Alejandro and I put together and matches it with a third. Who hasn't even tried to help with the assembly yet? A certain narcissistic jock who instead brags "Lightning finds the final piece. I'm a hero! It's probably a statue of me being me." while flexing his muscles.

Gwen and Heather examine our sculpture to determine what it is and the former thinks for a moment we built it wrong (we didn't), though figure out we have Big Ben without its clock face. On the other side, the Hamsters are still missing their last piece, which is Lady Liberty's torch. None of them are quite sure where that can be found. Lightning tells us "Oh come on, let's just get it sha-done!" and puts a crab over the hole, causing our sculpture to collapse before I can say anything.

We all glare at him. An angry Jo reprimands "Ugh, way to go, liability!" as he defends "Hey; it's not my fault you put it together wrong" as the crab walks away.

That's when Alejandro speaks up. He tells Lightning "We didn't put it together wrong; there were only six pieces!" and Jo adds "Great; so Lightning miscounted" and I shout out "Keep digging!" before she can say anything else.

No surprise that the narcissist miscounted. He probably got so absorbed in himself that he couldn't think properly. Lightning then insists "I counted seven; this is a conspiracy" as Heather replies "Yeah, a 'conspiracy' of bad counting!" before Jo finds our last piece and cheers "Oh yeah!"

Sadly, this is too late as our opponents find the torch and Lindsay finishes their statue before we can reassemble our tower. They cheer as our host announces their victory and we sulk in defeat.

"Ahem, I do require a volunteer for exile duty!" Chris adds.

"I'll go; that yeti from last season probably still needs a friend" Lindsay unexpectedly tells her team, "plus I can get away from Mr. I-wanna-be-a-bad-boy this way", clearly referring to Duncan, and then Chef takes her to Boney Island.

That blonde is really shocking me lately. Not only did she take the first jump for her team last challenge (when not the driver unlike my initial run-through of the season which got her kicked off first when she did a terrible job), but now scored them their first victory AND volunteers for exile without any prompting from others. Even more surprising is she still remembers the yeti that kidnapped her last season which she then comforted after somehow learning about how he really felt deep down. The girl still does dumb things like touch a landmine earlier on the beach without any caution, and randomly going up to yetis is a bad idea, but I can't help thinking maybe something's changed her. Could she perhaps find the invincibility idol? Regardless, I think her being in the game now is better than Sierra's craziness; Lindsay at least is easier to reason with even if you don't get along with her.

Everybody else then leaves the beach, and I feel relieved not to be affected by any of the booby traps or crabs this time. As lucky as that was, Lightning's idiocy cost us the challenge. He certainly is on tonight's chopping block. When the jock isn't around, Jo goes on and on about how we must vote him off as if it wasn't already obvious. Eventually, McLean calls us over for the elimination ceremony. The winners take a seat in the peanut gallery and don't have to worry about voting off any of their own again this time. Our host opens things with "Welcome Hamsters! Sit back, enjoy the show." and then turns to us "Vultures, it's time for you to vote off your first villain."

Something unsettling comes up. I hear a malicious voice state, "One by one, they will ALL fall" and turn to see it coming from Mal (now with his distinct hair-over-one-eye look rather than the Mike disguise he uses when trying to trick others into thinking the real Mike is in control), and Zoey asks "Did you say something, Mike?" before he turns back into Mike and replies "Uh no, just sitting here".

Oh shit; Mal truly is here now! Duncan gives him a suspicious look from the back row and asks if the two have met elsewhere before. I can tell he's trying to figure the moment out and has probably gotten some sense of familiarity. That'll have to wait as Mike has thankfully regained control of his body for now, plus I need to cast my vote. Without hesitation, I vote for Lightning when my turn comes up because he made us lose. How did that fool even make the merge last season!?

Once all the votes are tallied, Chris tells us "The following players are safe for another day; Courtney, Gwen, Scott, Alejandro, and Heather" and we each get marshmallows as our names are called.

Sweet! I got the first marshmallow, plus my favorite teammates were declared safe right afterwards! This leaves only Jo and Lightning. McLean then gives reasons why each could go home.

"Lightning, you're on the chopping block for your crummy math skills and incessant bicep kissing" the host announces.

The jock then retorts "If they were yours, you'd do it too" before kissing each of his biceps repeatedly and Chris continues "And Jo, you're on the block for your annoyingly pushy campaign to send Lightning home"

An angry Lightning interjects "You did WHAT!?" only to get an evil smirk from Jo before McLean announces "And tonight's loser is…

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Lightning!"

"Sha-what!?" the jock asks in surprise as Jo gets the last marshmallow.

"Don't be so shocked when we sha-lost because of YOU!" I yell at him.

Chris then takes us to the docks and puts him in the giant toilet. "Tossing away your strongest team player? You're gonna regret this, especially you, Jo." Lightning tells us. "You're a total sha-" and gets interrupted by Chris flushing the thing, making him scream.

Our host signs off the episode by telling the camera "Family show, people, family show! Who else is in line for a porcelain goodbye? Find out next time, on Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

Let's be honest, Chris; this is far from a family show and we all know it. On another note, thank god we didn't get hit by the toilet's disgusting waters tonight. The less contact I make with that, the better. Us remaining Vultures then walk over to the cabins and the Hamsters are already in the hotel by this point. Too bad I didn't have a chance to give Mike any caution tonight. Scott and Alejandro of course take the boys' cabin as I go into the girls' one with Gwen, Heather, and Jo. Some interns have already moved all our belongings into there.

"Trust me when I say that getting rid of Lightning sooner rather than later was a good idea." Jo tells us.

"We get it; you both hate one another and wanted each other out." I snap with some irritation, getting tired of hearing her contempt for the guy. "Let's just agree he ruined our day by costing us the challenge and focus more on winning future challenges now."

"Sounds fine to me." she replies, and this should prevent her from bickering with Heather later over whose fault the loss was like they did when I first lived through the season; that kept Gwen awake and would likely keep me up as well.

After that exchange and some gross slop from Chef (he serves the losers crap and the winners delicious dinners this season), I don't feel much like talking or staying up late. The Hamsters are undoubtedly enjoying their dinner tonight. I know from winning this challenge the first time around as one of them that the night's dish was a roast turkey with baked potatoes and corn-on-the-cob. If only I could've won that again this time. Unfortunately, I know from all my past time competing that you can't win every challenge no matter how hard you try.

Deciding to end the night earlier than normal, I finish my slop and go to clean my teeth before heading for bed. Once I finish flossing and using the toilet, a certain ginger shows up outside. Scott then turns around to face me. He states "It sucks we lost today, but thanks for doing your part with that sculpture. Even if Lightning got the most pieces, he still fucked everything up with his poor counting and by using a crab instead of an actual clock face." as I nod in agreement.

"Not a problem, and I'm also grateful you could help more than him." I respond. "To tell the truth, this chat helps after a big loss and lousy so-called meal."

"Rich people food has nothing on this stuff." Scott tells me to my surprise.

Thinking he's just making a joke, I chuckle and say, "Good one, Scott, now let's hope to win again so we can get something edible for dinner."

"No really" he insists "I've gotten used to eating dirt and such on my farm when nothing else was available. It's actually not that bad."

Oh right. That reminds me of how he gladly ate my gruel when I didn't really want it during our first challenge as teammates when I initially lived through the season. The thought of him enjoying what Chef gave us tonight still irks me though, and I wince for a bit before replying with "Suit yourself, dirt eater."

"I gladly will" the boy states.

"Well, I need to get going for now. Have a nice night." I tell him, and we part after a brief hug.

Remember how I said I'd take gradual steps with this guy instead of jumping into things? So far, it seems to be going smoothly. Chances are we'll have a longer hug later before doing anything more than platonic. It's admittedly a bit hard to restrain myself from crossing the friendship/relationship line with him when I know he's attracted to me and the feeling is mutual, but we'll get more affectionate when the time is right. However, I'm not doing anything R-rated while we're on the show; the most we'll ever do before the season ends is make out with maybe some feeling up even after becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. Chris probably doesn't allow contestants to have sex on his territories in the first place.

Anyway, as I prepare for bed and get into one of the top bunk beds, Gwen joins in the accompanying bottom bunk. She's not ready for sleep yet, but it's still nice to have her company. Time to chat with the goth before Heather and Jo arrive.

"Hopefully we don't have to stay in these awful cabins for too long, but I'm calling it a night earlier than usual as it'll make our unfortunate day end sooner." I tell her.

"True, I forgot how crappy they are to live in." she agrees.

We exchange good nights and I find myself struggling to fall asleep, considering how subpar these bunk beds are, especially compared to what the hotel offers. Eventually I drift off and hope for another victory.

 **Second challenge complete now. Courtney continues to change things up, as does Lindsay. How will our time-traveler deal with Mal? Be sure to keep reading for more on how this affects the game!**

 **Reason for elimination: Even though our CIT knows ahead of time what to build, she wasn't prepared enough for Lightning's dumb choices (mainly due to competing on the opposite team during her initial run-through which made her remember much more of what the Hamsters did in canon) and couldn't exactly stop him from screwing up, so he got the sha-boot for costing his team the challenge.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Cameron, Duncan, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Jo, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: August 18, 2018.**


	5. Leeches Galore

**After nine days since my last update, the fifth chapter has arrived. Took me the longest to work on out of all the chapters so far, and the next couple will probably take even longer as I'll need to focus more on my life outside of fanfiction for much of September 2018. Now I'll respond to more reviews.**

 **ShadowJcreed: There will be both canon and non-canon eliminations following our first two challenges, but I obviously can't go into much detail without giving away spoilers. Nice to know you also liked the chapter. Courtney isn't sure yet how to approach Mike about Mal without setting herself up for elimination like Alejandro did in canon. I have something for Duncan coming up this chapter, though not exactly a complaint on his hero team placement (which he knows is futile), so tell me what you think of it. He definitely wants to be a bad boy here just like he did in canon.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Lightning sha-screwed up and there was no other logical choice given his actions. Mal is indeed quite dangerous, but hasn't done much just yet. Our CIT needs to really think before giving him any sign she knows of his antics. Of course Lindsay won't die in exile; I can't kill off characters like that, especially when the busty blonde is one of my favorites from the show! Glad you're also eager to read more, because it's now here!**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Nope, our time-traveler couldn't stop Lightning from his idiotic choices, and tie score indeed.**

 **That British Guy: Sorry if you don't like Scottney (Scott x Courtney), but I've already decided in advance on much of what I'll do with them here.**

 **CMR Rosa: Glad you like the CIT's maturity and reconciliation with Gwen here. If I'm being honest, she should've been on the Vultures right from the start in canon given her past evil actions (especially by serving as the TDA antagonist), and definitely deserved that team switch when showing such nature in canon. The ironic part is really how she sets out to be good now and unintentionally prevents her placement on the Hamsters when trying to get revenge on Al after unmasking him. While still wanting to improve herself, Courtney doesn't now mind so much being on the Vultures, especially with Gwen and Scott as teammates. I wouldn't say she made peace with EVERYBODY she had issues with; you've misinterpreted my words since the only ones I said she did so with are Harold and Justin prior to Gwen. The CIT can definitely prove more of her worth here, as can Lindsay (and I agree that the blonde deserved better than she got in TDAS). Not much will happen with Mal just yet.**

 **That1guyeveryonehates: Lightning amuses me, but there wasn't much I could do with him here. I hate Sierra myself and it's nice to know you like her getting the first ax (which I feel should've been done in canon as she's my least favorite contestant of the season). Lindsay will have a mixture of both smart and air-headed moments here as she did in previous seasons (though largely the latter prior to All-Stars). Our CIT is still thinking of what to do with Mal, and you'll have to see about Scott. Regarding "meat" for challenges and dialogue, I tried to include some more of that here and am not sure how much it paid off, but please do let me know how this reads compared to past chapters. It's admittedly challenging to write as though people haven't seen the season when a contestant is re-living it plus I gave a notice in Chapter 1 urging people to watch that before they read due to spoilers. I'll let you be the judge of transitions, though would like specific examples of where to improve and how to do so if you feel they can be better.**

 **Let's get going with the story.**

Waking up in that cabin bed was awful. Having Gwen in the same bunk as me thankfully made things more pleasant. Heather on the other hand is someone I could easily do without (especially after she and Alejandro kept me up many nights with their noises). Jo overall isn't too bad so far when she doesn't go on too much about the mutual hatred between her and Lightning or how he needed to go out ASAP. That shouldn't be so bad now since the dumbass was voted off last night when his inflated ego got in the way of his counting. Her athleticism reminds me of Eva from season 1, but Eva was an angrier person and not as cunning or strategic.

Today's challenge is the one with leeches. It's where I used Sam as a human shield to protect myself from Jo blasting me with those creatures. This got me placed on the Villainous Vultures and Duncan on the Heroic Hamsters when he used his own body to protect Gwen from a leech. Since we're already on these teams without leech-related activity unlike my initial run-through, I'll have to prepare for further changes. Chris probably gets too much pleasure from torturing my ex like this to have us switch teams now and I'm personally content being on the same team as Gwen and Scott anyway. He also already told us that complaining about team arrangements won't change his mind.

Chef gives us a lousy excuse for breakfast (more slop) before the challenge because we lost yesterday. I may as well eat what I can before the challenge. The other girls also do so. We really need to win again to get back into the hotel for something more edible. Scott doesn't seem to mind such meal service so much (if his comments from last night and enjoying that gruel are any indication), but I know for sure that Alejandro wants to be fed better than this. The Hamsters must be in delight just like before, and maybe they'll save some food for Lindsay like they did with Sam. Wonder how she fared in exile.

Soon afterwards, McLean announces through a speakerphone "Attention campers; forest recon in 5, over" and everybody walks to the woods to meet him once they finish eating.

This time Heather and Jo don't try to lure Gwen onto their sides by pretending to agree with her stance on teamwork. Alejandro also doesn't try to charm her into an alliance with him either. I guess me stopping that spat from last night made quite a difference. It overall is a pretty silent walk aside from footsteps. Duncan at some point glances back to wave towards Gwen, who waves back with a somewhat uncomfortable look on her face. I once again don't display emotion and try to show him as little acknowledgement as possible. Once we find Chris, he is seen wearing an army helmet.

"At ease, soldiers" he greets us with a salute. "Let's all welcome back exiled hamster Lindsay."

Chef then drives a cart towards us with the blonde girl sitting next to him. Not a scratch on her!

"Hey Lindsay, how was exile?" asks Zoey.

"Not too bad. I got to talk to my yeti friend again, and he even shared some of his food with me!" Lindsay replies with a smile, sounding very excited about the food. "Turns out he had lots of berries and fish stored in a cave. He's also overall harmless unless agitated, especially by others putting clothing on him or making fun of his appearance."

This prompts nervous chuckles from those who competed last season, especially Sam and Scott as they remembered trying to dress it for a fashion show. You can easily see the guilt on their faces. I bet Brick McArthur from season 4 would feel particularly bad about that ordeal if competing now when he was the one who got the clothing on that yeti. Not his fault, though, as nobody had any idea how the yeti would feel. The blonde then clutches her growling stomach and continues "I just feel really hungry now since Chef took me back before I could eat anything."

"Luckily we smuggled you breakfast in case!" Mike says as he, Zoey, Cameron, and Sam take eggs, toast, and bacon from earlier that morning out of their pockets to offer her.

Lindsay bites into the toast and tells them "Thank you so much!" with her mouth full before she swallows that and quickly gobbles the bacon and eggs.

"Huh, no wonder your food vanished from your plates so soon." an emptyhanded Duncan observes, evidently not realizing until now that they had planned to save food for the exile volunteer, which makes them raise their eyebrows at him.

"Welcome to today's experiment with your pain thresholds." our host then interjects while rubbing his hands together and chuckling evilly, which gives us all worried looks. "Get ready for an ingenious twist on the war movie challenge from season two."

"There are two weapon caches in the heart of this forest." he informs us while showing the woods on a TV screen. "The big one is filled with state-of-the-art paintball weaponry and the little one has a bunch of cruddy old paintball slingshots."

The screen shows a paintball gun above the big box and a slingshot nearby the little box as they are announced. It then turns off before he continues. "Whoever gets there first gets their pick and then you've gotta pick off the competition. You get one point for each opponent you splatter. First team to six points wins, and one of the losers will get a dishonorable discharge tonight, flush-o-shame styles."

"Paintball again? Oh original, what a twist." my ex sarcastically remarks, and he has a point when we already had a paintball deer hunting challenge in the first season.

McLean replies with "Oh yeah, that; one of the conditions of my parole is that I can't use or be around hard projectiles like paintballs, so instead you'll be using leeches!", grossing me and everyone else out as Chef holds a leech for all the contestants to see.

Did I mention how Chris was arrested after season 4 and spent a year in jail? He apparently got into legal troubles for Camp Wawanakwa being an environmental hazard with all the radioactive substance. Serves him right! The island got scrubbed clean of radioactivity before Chef paid his bail and the All-Stars season started up.

"As winners of yesterday's challenge, the heroes get a full one-minute head start!" our host continues, prompting cheers from the Hamsters and groans from us Vultures.

"Ready, set" McLean adds before Chef fires a leech gun to kick off the head start, and Scott yelps in pain after the fired leech attaches itself to him.

What a dick move that was! I pull the leech off him and toss it to the side. That thing is so disgusting, and I hate touching it at all, but he didn't need to go through such agony.

As the Hamsters take off with a nearby timer counting down the minute before we can go, Heather complains "Know who could outrace the Hamsters even with a head start? Lightning. Way to ruin everything, Jo!"

Oh great, you just HAD to mention his name now.

"We ALL voted him off, remember?" Jo retorts with some irritation.

Alejandro smiles while interjecting with "We may not need to worry" and points towards a tired Sam and Lindsay struggling to catch up to their teammates, though the gamer isn't so drained of energy this time when he didn't spend the night in exile.

"That's true, and we'll be able to start soon anyway" I comment, noting that the timer has almost expired.

"Villains, you're up in 3, 2, 1! " Chris tells us as Chef fires another leech once the timer expires, again landing on Scott.

"Hey!" the ginger yells while McLean simply chuckles at his pain and gives Hatchet a high-five.

I pull this leech off as well and the team all starts running. Last time when competing as one of the Hamsters, I loved getting a head start, though was blindsided when the Vultures somehow got to the boxes first. Looks like I'm about to experience how that worked out (its footage was never shown on screen). We run some more before Gwen halts for a moment.

"OK, they're heading left." she tells us. "If we take another path, maybe we can cut them off."

"Great idea!" Heather states and gives a thumbs-up, which somehow seems sarcastic, but I don't think too much of it since we need to focus on reaching those boxes first.

The team then heads straight with Al exclaiming "Go Vultures!" and Jo adding "Yes we can!" as we run through the forest. I can then see the boxes up ahead! Gwen, while I obviously would've resented such knowledge when we competed on opposite teams, I must thank you now for this idea that got us ahead. Our team pulls up in front of the big box before the Hamsters can reach it.

"Whoa, where'd they come from?" a confused and surprised Mike asks.

Heather simply blows a raspberry as they turn around and run towards the small box instead. Us Vultures cheer for reaching the big box first. Jo then ruins our moment by adding "Who needs Lightning, am I right people, eh?", which makes us all roll our eyes over how fixated she is on outranking him.

Al opens our box to unveil big leech guns and a cannon. Wanting to use the latter, Jo, Scott, and Heather simultaneously proclaim, "I'll take the cannon!" and then "No; I'LL take the cannon!" before groaning in frustration once they hear one another try to call dibs on it.

"Do any of you even know how to properly aim it?" I ask them all.

"Yes; I'll show you now." Scott affirms, probably trying to impress me, and ends up hitting an intern as well as a microphone when he fires a leech cannonball from.

The ginger exclaims "See? I totally nailed the guy!" as the microphone falls, making a painful sound as it hits the ground.

We then holster our guns over our shoulders and start moving the cannon, or at least try to. That thing is fucking heavy! After a while of struggling to push, Gwen tells us "We're easy targets like this; maybe we should ditch the cannon."

"No way! I haven't even had a turn to fire it yet." Jo objects while she pats the cannon with one hand and then starts rubbing it with the other while leaning her cheek against the thing, asking it "Isn't that right, sweetheart?" as if the device were alive.

The goth gives her a weirded out look before replying with "OK, then we should split up."

"Agreed!" Alejandro adds, and before anybody can say anything else, I spot Zoey in the distance and announce, "Fire at will!" as I shoot leeches towards her.

The girl dodges my shots, grabs one of the leeches I fire, and places it in her own slingshot to use against us. What does Pigtails then do? Shoot it straight at Al's face!

"Ah! I'm hit!" he wails as Zoey semi-apologizes with "Sorry, but not totally" and then runs off as we fire more leeches at her, missing each time.

She really is agile! Her athletic abilities might not be the on same level as Lightning, Eva, or Jo, but still are quite impressive, and made me see her as a threat not long after we first began competing together. I remember even hoping to vote her off soon back when initially living through this challenge. Jo then walks back to the cannon to fire at Zoey. I hear a cannon shot, and then lots of sucking. It hit me!

"Thanks a lot, Jo!" I sarcastically spat at her and try to get the creatures off me.

Chris then chuckles at my pain and announces through the speakerphone "That's two points for the heroes, and ZILCH for the villains!"

"Why two if Zoey only hit Alejandro?" I ask and get "Friendly fire counts" in response, which makes us all glare at Jo.

Damn, I forgot about that part when the athlete hit Scott with her cannon ball last time around. Jo then tries to defend herself with "What? CIT got in the way!"

No, you just need to not be so trigger-happy. You have my vote tonight if we lose.

Heather snaps "You can take your excuses and stick them in your-" before getting cut off mid-sentence by one of Mike's leeches hitting her, which makes her yelp in agony.

Mr. Multiple Personalities waves at us before we fire at him and he runs off unscathed before Heather groans "Ugh, In my hair! What is wrong with you?" while trying to pull the thing out only for our host to also laugh at her and tell us "Make that 3-0".

How can we already be losing by that much!? That must change.

"Come on" Gwen urges us, and I follow along with Scott even though I've already been hit as Jo goes off to find Zoey.

"Avenge me!" Heather calls out from a distance.

Don't flatter yourself; only Al would be willing to do that. Nobody seems to be in sight so far. That doesn't last for long. I hear Lindsay wondering aloud "How do you fire a slingshot again?", giving me enough time to turn around and target her.

The blonde then screams in terror and runs away after getting hit not by my leech, but her own! Lindsay accidentally misfired it towards her own face while trying to aim at me. I see her peel it off and toss the thing aside while running and screaming. Looks like she had another dim-witted moment.

"The villains lock into a point, but the heroes still lead by 3!" McLean informs us.

I can then see Cameron in the distance, trying to make some calculation on how to aim his shot. He takes too long for his own good as I take full advantage of the chance to shoot him.

"The villains score again, but the heroes still lead 3 points to 2." our host announces.

We've finally started to catch up! Unfortunately, Mike then shows up and pelts Gwen with a leech, who groans as it attaches to her.

"Sorry, couldn't resist taking a shot." Multiple Mike says before Scott hits him back in retaliation.

Chris then tells us "The heroes still lead with 4-3."

"Not for long." the ginger snickers, firing at Sam in the distance who also shoots his slingshot back at him.

Our gamer gets hit with several leeches and collapses while Scott remains unscathed. Maybe we can win at this rate?

"Tie score for the first time today; 4 all!" McLean states as if we couldn't already count.

Soon afterwards, a shot comes out from the distance. It then hits Scott. I turn to see it came from a smiling Duncan and pelt him in the face with a bunch of leeches. That grin on his face quickly turns into a frown. Doing that to him was very satisfying.

"The tie is now at 5 for each team! It ain't over yet. Who can win it now?" asks the host.

Good question, to be honest. We only have Jo unscathed while Zoey is the last remaining Hamster to not get hit. Are they in that cave now? I make my way over out of sheer curiosity. Right as I'm about to reach the cave entrance, some shots can faintly be heard from a distance. Turning to the side, I see Jo firing at Zoey in some far away field and then running out of ammo. My gun also unfortunately is out of leeches when I try to shoot it at her. This gives our pigtailed redhead the opportunity to fire and hit her, giving the Hamsters their second victory, and Jo grunts while getting hit as I vaguely hear Zoey telling her "Not sorry!"

"This just in: with a final score of 6 points to 5, the heroes win!" Chris tells us, with Zoey triumphantly raising her fist in the air and Jo slouching in defeat.

I can faintly hear Sam in some other direction groaning and saying "Yay, we won!" without much energy before collapsing again, still feeling drained from those leeches on him.

Losing again of course sucks badly. Jo's friendly fire was already enough reason for me to vote her off, and I now feel even more inclined to do so when she also just lost the challenge for us. I won't miss her in the slightest. Thankfully, some interns help us get the remaining leeches off and treat the areas where those creatures got attached.

Once we have healed enough, the interns let us go back to the main campsite. I then overhear Duncan talking to Gwen and Zoey on my way back. Is it about Mike/Mal? Curiosity gets the better of me, and I peer through a bush to listen in on the matter.

"I know this probably sounds crazy, but you need to watch out for Mike." he warns the girls and confirms my suspicions. "We were once in juvie together. He practically ran the place, but back then was known as Mal, and he is BAD NEWS. Totally dangerous to those around him. I somehow couldn't put my finger on exactly where we had previously known each other until today and would hate for Mal to hurt either of you."

"Don't be ridiculous; Mike is one of the kindest guys to ever compete on this show." Gwen scoffs.

"You know how he has multiple personalities? Well, I hope I'm wrong on this, but one theory I have is that maybe Mike is an alternate personality and Mal is the real deal." Duncan replies.

This unsurprisingly worries Zoey, who gasps in response before insisting "It can't be; I would've known by now if Mike wasn't the main thing!" and inquires "Do you think getting hit in the head somehow brought Mal out when he couldn't access his other personalities?"

It's tempting to burst into the conversation to affirm both her guess on Mal and how Mike is the real thing, but I can't say that without giving away my time travel plus my ex could still have something to say that I didn't already know. Better to just listen for now. Perhaps Duncan heard Mal whistle Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" at some point today and recognized him earlier this time around having now been on the same team from the start.

"Not sure, but I can't think of a good way to confront the guy, especially when I steered clear of Mal's path in juvie for my own sake." the delinquent says. "All I can say for now is watch for any unusual activity from him, especially when malicious, and I don't just mean from the other alters."

Duncan seems to have finished, so I guess I can say something without raising eyebrows. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and it sounds quite wild. What gave you the idea that Mal was around?" I ask, genuinely wanting to know how he thought of this so soon in the game.

"There was a distinct tune he whistled" he confirmed my suspicions and then tried to replicate the "In the Hall of the Mountain King" whistling. "His whistle was something like that and I heard it earlier after today's challenge ended. While I know things ended badly between us, I don't want you harmed either. In the meantime, we can't let Mal know that anyone is onto him now, or it's guaranteed to lead to trouble."

Of course, I already knew that and how he wasn't entirely heartless. Duncan's not the type of person that would want innocent people in such danger. I will give him that even though he still is an asshole. The guy also had a point about not letting him know of suspicions as Mal orchestrated Alejandro's elimination after he tried to directly confront him about his actions during my initial run-through, though I was already quite willing to vote off Al anyway when asked to. "If nothing else, I appreciate the sentiment, though now have to get going for the elimination ceremony." I thank Duncan and walk away, quietly snickering when I subsequently overhear him getting frustrated over Zoey calling his warnings "heroic" if they turn out to be true.

Gwen later catches up to me and says "Courtney, I don't know whether you believe any of what Duncan was just saying, but you should know either way that I dumped him earlier after today's challenge ended." as we walk towards our cabin. "As ironic as it sounds, he seemed oddly eager to know whether you paid him any attention or mentioned him in our conversations. The guy did this after not only the most recent challenge once alone, but also following the finishes of first two, and I got fed up after he did that today. You probably didn't hear about our breakup as it happened since the interns treated you in a separate area than us."

I saw their split coming, but it happened sooner than expected. Last time around this took place after the fifth challenge. Looks like my earlier placement on the Vultures and his earlier placement on the Hamsters prompted not only that but a chance to reconcile with her sooner (which I was going to do regardless at first opportunity) plus the delinquent's realizations of Mal here as opposed to after the sixth challenge. Wonder what else will happen sooner as a result.

"That IS ironic, and you made a good call since he honestly never deserved either of us in the first place." I reply.

"Thanks. Things with him were also fading anyway as I felt fireworks when we first got together, but it just wasn't the same after a while. His focus on getting your attention while with me, even if not exactly making any advances, just made me lose interest faster. It's time I focused more on my friendships than dating." she states.

Later in the night, Chris calls everyone over for the elimination ceremony. Us Vultures prepare to vote one of our own off again as the Hamsters relax while watching the show.

"Welcome back, Villainous Vultures. Second elimination in a row." McLean greets us and chuckles a bit before continuing. "Way to lose! Now, get ready to cut someone loose. It's voting time!"

Behind us, I see Lindsay and Zoey trying to console a saddened Sam, asking why he feels that way.

"Someone trashed Sam's Game Guy earlier today" Cameron informs them, and both gasp "What!?" in shock as the gamer shows his destroyed console.

"He needs to focus more on the real-life game anyway." Duncan unsympathetically comments, and quickly adds "I wasn't the one who wrecked that, though, as badass as that would be." when his teammates glare at him with suspicion, and Mike reprimands him with "Have more heart!"

Wait, TODAY and not last night? I also notice scratches that look like they came from a knife on the console this time. Mal of course was the one who wrecked that last time. When re-watching this episode, I saw Mike state in the confessional that he only thought it was a dream that the console got destroyed. If only the guy didn't have to suffer such agony Mal brought upon him.

It's hard to say whether Mal or Duncan knifed the system and ripped it apart now, when Duncan is known to carry a knife with him and Mal could've easily taken that or some other knife to destroy Sam's game system. Interestingly, Mike now looks angry instead of some combination of nervous and guilty. Maybe his inner demon didn't do it this time and Duncan is lying after all unless this is some new cover-up from Mal. One thing that makes sense either way is that Sam would protectively guard his console while sleeping and it would be much harder to wreck the thing at night without him noticing when he was in the hotel with it as opposed to being exiled in Boney Island, so daytime would be an easier opportunity to do that undetected.

Anyway, time to vote. I promptly grab a portrait of Jo and draw an X over her face before signing my name on the back of the picture once my turn comes up. Goodbye and good riddance! Our host then informs us "The votes are in, but before I announce our loser de jour, I need a Hamster to volunteer for exile."

"Me; I need less time around the goody-goody heroness." Duncan says while raising his hand and gets a "Suit yourself" response from Chef, who takes him away.

"Alrighty then; onwards and flush-wards. The following villains are safe: Gwen, Alejandro, Courtney, and Scott." Chris announces and gives marshmallows to each player as he calls their name.

Another survival! Heather and Jo are now in the bottom two, which is fine with me. Both are quite expendable.

"Heather and Jo, you're on the edge" our host continues as both girls look worried. "Heather for being a pain-in-the-keister and Jo for being a pain-in-the-keister who also took out her own teammate in today's challenge."

"She should've ducked!" Jo gestures towards me and tries to defend herself.

"You were just too trigger-happy with that cannon and you know it!" I snap while turning towards her.

"And tonight's flushee is…

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Jo!"

"What!? Are you all nuts!?" an exasperated Jo questions while Heather gets the last marshmallow.

"No; friendly fire during the game is just inexcusable." I angrily retort and grab a nearby bucket full of leeches to dump over her head as revenge, making the athlete scream in agony as I smugly smile.

"Pure evil payback, Courtney; I love it!" McLean remarks.

Oh right; people still see me as evil to at least some extent. I need to take better control of my impulses. Chris and all us Vultures then walk down to the giant toilet and Jo is placed inside. He asks her "Any final words?"

Jo simply tells him "Just flush it already!" with a scowl on her face, and our host complies.

She can be heard gurgling in the water while being flushed as Chris signs off the episode with "I will not miss her. Tune in next time for more sweet, sweet, mayhem right here on Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

I certainly won't miss Jo either, McLean. She simply had to go after today's events. It's also nice not to be splashed by toilet water tonight. There's no doubt Heather and Scott also share these sentiments. When back on the main camp ground, he stops me before I can go into the girls' cabin.

"I don't blame you for being mad at Jo and would've felt the same way if that was me." He says. "She fully deserved to get that bucket dumped on her head AND voted off tonight. Sorry you had to get cannon-balled earlier."

If only you knew how things went in the original timeline, Scott. You're also obviously saying that in part because you have the hots for me, which I don't mind in the slightest. I smile and respond with "Thanks for that, and it really was satisfying to dump that bucket as revenge."

"Think we can win for a change tomorrow?" he then asks.

"I hope so, and good luck." I reply and give him a hug that lasts longer than the one from last night as he tells me "You too".

The two of us then walk into our respective cabins where Chef has already set up plates with slimy-looking goop. They remind me of the leeches! Probably something he chose to fit with the challenge's theme. I take a bite of whatever this is supposed to be, and it's even worse than the slop from last night (which is saying quite a lot). Having no other choice aside from starvation, I reluctantly eat it along with Gwen and Heather, who are equally disgusted by the dish. We also hear Alejandro loudly gagging from the boys' cabin, undoubtedly from our so-called meal. I don't know whether to be shocked if Scott somehow enjoys this too. Anyway, I brush my teeth twice tonight just to get that disgusting taste out, and then go to bed once it gets late. We really need to win the next challenge for the sake of my stomach!

 **Three challenges down. Be sure to stay tuned for whether the Villains can win another round!**

 **Reason for elimination: Courtney didn't properly take into account Jo's eagerness for the cannon (largely since she was originally on the Hamsters and hiding out in a cave) and couldn't stop her from misfiring it, plus neither of them could pelt Zoey before running out of ammo and friendly fire is asking for trouble. The team then collectively felt she needed out.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Cameron, Duncan, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: August 27, 2018.**


	6. All-You-Can-Eat Pancakes

**Chapter six is loaded. As the longest one of this fic so far, it unsurprisingly took longer (13 days) than my previous chapters to create. You might be surprised by certain events that come up. First, let's reply to more reviews.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Yes, our CIT is definitely being put to the test, though I clearly can't say at the moment how successful it'll be due to spoilers. Glad you like what I've done with Mal so far! Not sure how you felt the writers didn't use him to full potential, but it would be nice to know what you recommend doing to get closer to that.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: The difference in teams definitely hurt her here again. Duncan does know Mal is around, but can't let him know that now.**

 **That British Guy: Glad you liked my take more!**

 **ShadowJcreed: Thanks for the bit on Lindsay. I also thought it would be a nice twist to change who gets hit by the cannonball myself**

 **animefan1009: Many thanks, and I also thought this story's concept is a nice idea.**

 **danifan3000: I like Total Drama characters going back in time as well, and thought having Courtney would be a nice change of pace (no offense to Noah or Cody stories though and I do feel "Total Drama Redemption" by PurpleBandit3000 as well as CosmicWarrior's "Total Drama: Cody's Redemption" are among the best Total Drama fanfics made).**

 **That1guyeveryonehates: Your comments do help. I've included more of Courtney's thoughts as she walks to and from places in this chapter. Do tell if it's an improvement over what I had before. The characters' personalities should also show more clearly now. I have mixed feelings on Jo, and can sense similarities to Eva, though definitely get distinct vibes from them (Eva is an angry hotheaded jock and Jo is largely a mean jock) and wouldn't call Jo "a snooze character". Happy to give the title of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" as it's one of those tracks many people know the sound of, but cannot identify by name. I'm also glad you like what I've got for Duncan and Mike/Mal so far. Keep reading for more on them! I also have something for Scott coming up. The CIT will do anything she can to keep good rapport with him as well as Gwen, and definitely is thinking ahead this time around.**

 **Now enjoy what follows!**

There's lots of rain when I wake up in the morning. It was bad enough staying in this cabin during regular weather and being here during rainy days are unsurprisingly worse. Luckily the roofs aren't leaking right now. Gwen and Heather are still asleep right now. May as well get dressed while I can. I silently get out from my bunk without waking either of them up and put my clothes on. This day was also my first challenge as a Vulture in the original timeline, so I'm less likely now to be blindsided by the team's mistakes than last challenge or the one before.

It's also the day I first interacted with Scott. I knew I needed an ally when on bad terms with everyone else on the team back then, so he was my only choice, but now of course I have him AND Gwen. Little did I know during my first run-through that it would eventually lead to us dating. Maybe he'll get more flirtatious today than before. In any case, I should keep him from eating too much gruel or making the challenge harder than it already was. What happens today? We must eat as much from a stack of giant pancakes as we can within a time limit and then go through an obstacle course without puking. Last time I thankfully didn't get sick, though hated being flung off course!

Next thing I know, Chef is at our door and tosses in a bag of powdered gruel. I scream in disgust when it bursts along with the other girls as I wasn't prepared for it to happen right then and there even though I knew he would be here this morning to do that. To keep Scott from taking mine, I hesitantly eat some from off my head, cringing at the gross taste. He then knocks at the door, so I walk over and open it.

"You gonna finish your gruel?" he asks with a bucket in one hand.

"Seeing to it that I have nothing else to eat, yes." I reluctantly admit.

"I told you these things weren't so bad" Scott playfully teases and nudges me with his elbow.

"Oh please" I giggle "I just don't feel like starving today, though also don't wanna overeat before the challenge."

"Fair point. I shouldn't hog all your meal anyway. See you then." The ginger tells me and closes my cabin door as he walks back to his own.

"You and the dirt boy?" Heather asks in disbelief. "Barf! I thought you were done trying to date guys on this show after the third season."

"We're just friends." I tell her. "He simply was joking around based on past talk of meals for the losing team."

"He clearly wants to be more than that, but whatever." she replies and goes to brush her hair.

I was telling the truth when I said Scott was only my friend, for now that is, but how did Heather get the idea I was dating him or even wanted to? Were Scott's affections really that obvious to her? Maybe she was just trying to mock me. Doesn't matter that much anyway when that bitch can't get in the way of what we have.

"Any sense of why Scott likes the taste of such things?" Gwen inquires with a mouthful of gruel.

"Hard to say" I shrug my shoulders. "All he really told me was that he got used to it back on his farm when nothing better to eat was around."

"He could probably rival Owen in a contest of eating gross food." the goth adds, and then we both crack up laughing at the thought of them facing one another in such a competition.

That laughter somehow lasts for at least ten minutes. It really feels great to have reconciled with her, especially sooner than my initial run-through. She doesn't have to cry in the confessional this time about wanting to make amends only for me to hate her more (or me not believing her upon overhearing it). No way am I fucking up our friendship again. The truth is I never made very many friends on this show (as I was largely a bitch), so I value what I can get these days.

Unless you count Duncan while I was dating him, the only real friend I had on Total Drama prior to Gwen or Scott was the surfer girl Bridgette, though we had a falling out in between the second and third seasons where she chastised me for becoming a total jerk during season 2. My response? Defiantly insist I simply was trying to be smart and play the game strategically. The two of us never really reconnected after that though were never hostile towards one another and could civilly interact.

Bridgette had a point then and I stupidly ignored it. Nothing I can do about that now, though, since she isn't competing this season and I have no way to contact her outside of the show. In case you're wondering about Harold or Justin given how I said sorry to both for going out of line, we overall stayed on neutral terms before I made my chart. They all surely hated me along with just about every other cast member afterwards. Still not as hated as Duncan or Ezekiel, though. As I said before, nobody on Total Drama ever liked the latter at all period.

Chris announces "OK, now that the weather's cleared up, get your waterlog butts to the beach for today's beatdown, I mean challenge." once the rain and my laughter both stop.

Time to get going. I exit my cabin with Gwen and Heather to join Scott and Alejandro, and the five of us head to meet Chris. While walking, I begin to think of the upcoming pancake feast. Without those booby traps, Chef did a damn fine job making those, and I gladly would've eaten more my first time around if I didn't set off a trap that splattered green jelly in my face. Maybe I can avoid that this time by changing the order my team eats, discreetly of course. This time Scott isn't munching on any gruel when walking over with us, and frankly is doing himself a favor, so I'm glad my comments earlier on overeating made another difference for the better.

My hand then feels another grab onto it. Is Scott trying to hold hands with me? I look next to me to find ginger smiling nervously and blushing a bit. He evidently wants to make a move on me but can't figure out how to do it without the others noticing. A private moment for us sounds just fine when not even the cameras show us walking over for this episode. He didn't do that when I first lived through the challenge and things between us seem to be happening sooner than before. Smiling back, I also take his hand in mine. It's a good thing we're behind the others or Heather would probably mock us. While Alejandro might as well, I'm not sure how Gwen would react. His hand is sweating a bit from anxiety, but I don't mind right now.

Teenagers are known to often get like that around their love interests (especially before they date), and the guy is 17 after all (his 18th birthday was one week before I made the wish to start over with him and got sent back in time). This reminds me of how I once got sweaty palms when holding hands with my first boyfriend Eric when I was 14. That was a classmate who like me wanted to be a lawyer and we got along just fine, but mutually decided to break up due to distance when his family moved far away, and we knew things wouldn't survive the distance. Things hadn't gotten very serious anyway after only a few months.

Another guy I dated at age 15 in between Eric and Duncan, whose name was Quinton, had a similar blush to what Scott has now when we first got together. We lasted for about the same time as my first relationship, though ended when things faded between us. I haven't seen or heard from either of those guys in quite some time. The two of us then release our hands when the Hamsters show up (minus Duncan who Chef is probably picking up from Boney Island if he hasn't already), not ready to let anybody know about our moment just yet.

Us two teams continue to walk towards our host. My opponents are lucky they got to spend the night in that hotel during today's rain rather than the shitty cabins. While walking, I have time to think. If we lose again today, then chances are I'll talk Gwen and Scott into voting off Heather tonight, which would make at least make the female cabin a more pleasant visit. I do hate Alejandro as well, but Scott so far seems to be getting along with him to some degree as he did in the original timeline (which surprises me) before the final six where Mike/Mal talked us into voting Burromuerto off (not sure which persona was in control talking to me then when both wanted him gone). Instinct tells me Scott didn't watch the third season, Total Drama World Tour, before joining the show. That would help explain his lack of immediate hatred for Al (as well as Duncan) when he liked me as soon as we met.

This time around, Duncan seems to have taken a quicker hatred and/or jealousy for Scott unlike my original run-through where they didn't have any issues when on the same team together. I guess seeing the ginger and I bond was what set him off in both timelines even before becoming a couple (and the first time I lived through this he also once incorrectly stated I was just using Scott to make him jealous). Anyway, once we arrive, Chris announces "Welcome contestants. Before we get started, let's bring back last night's exile, Duncan!" and then points to Chef in a helicopter carrying the delinquent with a claw.

The cook then has its claw release Duncan, who falls to the ground and lands flat on his face. Gwen and I secretly smirk for a moment at his pain. That prick deserved it. He groans and then lifts his head up. McLean then asks him "How was your night on the island last night?"

Mr. Delinquent tells him "Believe it or not, I've had worse" and gets up to join the other Hamsters.

"OK then." our host says and then smiles as he announces "Now it's challenge time! Chef didn't have time to cook team losers' breakfast this morning because he was busy making these, pancakes!" and shows us two piles of giant pancakes for each team, adding "That's right; it's eating contest time! Each team member gets one minute to scarf up as much pancake-y goodness as they can."

Better make this count. Like I stated earlier, Scott now shouldn't have as much trouble when he didn't eat as much gruel before the challenge. Chris then informs us "When a hero's eating time is up, they hear this" and a choir-like sound plays before he continues with "And the villains get this" which prompts a pig squealing noise.

Maybe I'll be a little piggy with these pancakes, today; oink, oink. The host still isn't done speaking, and he adds "Then you just have to race through a nausea-inducing obstacle course."

Sam then gulps with fear, asking "Obstacle course?" with a worried look on his face.

"It's a nod to the mad skills course from last season, the toughest parts anyway." Chris comments, and proceeds to instruct us with "First, you've gotta get past the bouncy butts. They're a real pain. Then it's on to the retching rolling pin and a swift kick from the grape crusher gets you back in line.", pointing to each part of the course as he names them.

Time to say something before Scott makes this harder for everybody. I ask the host "What if we get sick?" even though I already know the answer.

"If you puke, you're benched, leaving the other players on your team to eat up without your help." he replies and points towards a bench. "Keep from spewing to stay in the game and you get back in line after finishing. Once your pancake's toast, just complete the obstacle course one last time to win."

"Fair enough." I add, wanting to keep Scott from talking for now.

"Ready, Set, Scarf!" Chris proclaims and then blows an air horn to begin the challenge.

No chance of getting flung off by a spinner this time! Before anyone can object, I go up first for the Vultures and start eating. Cameron kicks things off for the Hamsters and quickly brushes away the fish eyes that Sierra thought were blueberries when in this challenge. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about what could happen to me other than a splat of green jelly. What was the first booby trap in this pile again? I then hear a squeaking. Uh-oh! Two rats then jump out from the middle and attack my legs! As I yelp in pain and Cameron gets attacked by an angry racoon from his pancake pile, McLean notes from the side "Oh yeah, there might be some booby traps and feisty ingredients in those PAIN-cakes."

Shaking the rats off my legs, I continue eating without a problem as my team cheers for me until I hear that pig squeal and the choir to respectively end my time and the bubble boy's. He also has that racoon off him now. Better get through this without puking.

"Eating time's over for Courtney and Cameron, now it's beating time!" the host announces.

As we run over to the bouncy butts, I get a running start to make the right move, and Wilkins tries to make some calculation of how/when to jump. Looking behind me, he fails miserably and falls into mud down below, completely missing the first of four bouncy butts. I then continue to bounce across the mud without falling into it. Perhaps I got lucky here, but Cameron is now bouncing across as I reach the rolling pin. He apparently took a note from what I did. Trying to keep my balance, I run across the pin as quickly as possible, almost slipping at one point, and then successfully reach the kicking boot. Here we go! That boot kicks me before bubble boy can reach it, and I land on my feet at the end of the course without barfing, success!

I triumphantly raise both fists in the air as Chris proclaims that "Courtney scores one for the Vultures!" and my team cheers for me. No gross green jelly in my face, no throwing up, and no getting flung off course into a tree hole! It's now pretty much guaranteed I won't get eliminated tonight even if my team loses again. Alejandro then proceeds to eat from our pancake pile as I make my way back and see Cameron getting knocked into a tree by that boot and then make a painful fall down the branches, getting pecked by angry birds at one point and Chris laughs at his pain and says "Next!" while Gwen and Scott both give me high-fives when I reach them.

Our host can be heard telling the camera "Which team will finish their barf-tastic breakfast first? Find out after the break" to cue in a commercial break.

Once Mr. Wilkins gets back to his team, Mike goes up next, but Al has already got a head-start thanks to me getting back in line sooner. We all hear that pig squeal and Burromuerto goes off to the bouncy butts. Everyone on our team shouts different things at the same time, so I can't really make out what Heather, Scott, or Gwen are saying, but know that I personally told him "Don't spill your guts!" as he made his way through the course and the choir sounds off for the Hamsters right after Mike gets a mousetrap on stuck on his lips.

Making multiple flips, Al gets lodged into just the right place on one bouncy butt to flip again and go through the pin with ease as Chris announces to the camera "We're back with some very nice moves from Alejandro, and he continues to impress on the rolling pins!" and then he flips again towards the boot while Mike bounces across the mud to the pin.

Off to the side, I notice Heather cheer "Yes!" for him, and then stop with wide eyes for a moment when she realizes the implications of her remark. I grin and raise an eyebrow knowingly as she blushes a bit in embarrassment upon noticing she was heard, making her not-so-secret affections for Alejandro even more obvious. Burromuerto then gets hit by the boot with Mike making his way over, and he lands on his stomach as he completes the challenge. He then struggles to get up and walks over a bit before Mr. Multiple Personalities reaches the end.

Both guys make their way back to their teams, with Zoey going next for the Hamsters and Gwen going next for the Vultures. I notice before heading up to her pile that Ms. Pigtails was quietly chatting with Duncan, presumably about Mike/Mal concerns. The girls start to eat quickly, with Gwen getting up to eat first because Al returned here before Mike did. Sam doesn't offer to take her place with a tag-out this time, probably because they aren't the only two remaining players on their team to not eat any pancake or trying to finish off the pile.

Once our pig squeal is heard, the goth must make her way to the end while fighting off a couple crabs that clung onto her from the Vultures' pancake stack. Soon afterwards, Zoey hears her choir sound and screams as she gets blasted in the air by a dynamite booby trap within the Hamsters' pile! It sends her flying through the course all the way towards the end well ahead of Gwen. McLean can be heard telling our audience "The villains are two-thirds done and the heroes are about halfway through. Can they catch up?"

Our goth bounces across the bouncy butts with cheers from our team (even Heather) and we all cringe when she falls on her face when passing through them. I can hear her groaning with nausea, trying to keep from barfing while Zoey runs back towards her team. As she and Duncan continue conversing, Sam goes up to eat the pancakes while Gwen is on the rolling pin, telling himself "You can do this, Samuelson. One does not play the game; one lets the game play him!" before he starts to scarf whatever he can within a minute.

Since our gamer this time around didn't go to exile before today, I doubt he'll try to cheat like before by stuffing pancake into his pockets, though decide to keep an eye on him in case he does. "Hero Sam makes progress chowing and villain Gwen's head is turning a new shade of green." I then hear Chris state right before the goth pukes and then slips off the pin to fall into the mud, wincing at the sight while he continues "Oh, and Gwen gives the 'hurl of shame' new meaning! Hit the bench." and she grabs a bucket close by to vomit in while walking over to the benches.

"Ew, I'd hate to slip on that." a grossed-out Lindsay comments from the side before Duncan cheers "Go Sam; you can do it!" and then tries to shrug it off with "I mean whatever. Pfft, do whatever, because I don't care." only for Mike to place one hand on his shoulder, assuring him "It's OK to be a team player" and the delinquent just rolls his eyes instead of commenting on a familiar voice (for obvious reasons).

The choir noise goes off and Sam starts running. My theory on whether he'd cheat proved correct here as this time I watched closely enough to see he didn't stuff anything into his pockets now, or I otherwise would've called him out for it. Our host then proclaims that "Sam makes his way across the bouncy butts!" while the gamer bounces off them to the other end, losing energy along the way.

Heather then goes up and starts eating. Scott is off to the side, evidently staring at me again with a smile. How long has he been doing that this challenge? I silently give him a hand gesture to focus his attention on the game. He blushes a bit before turning his eyes towards Heather and Sam on the course. As flattering as his gazes can be, now's not the time for that.

"Need power-up." a tired Sam says aloud, struggling to make his way past the rolling pin.

"You have no hope, game-child!" Alejandro taunts.

That was a big mistake on his part.

"It's not game-child; it's game-MAN!" a re-energized Sam snaps, then picking up speed and safely jumping off the pin.

Heather then yelps when activating the green jelly splatter booby trap (though this was nothing compared to my panic attack when I got splattered by that), and I feel so glad it's not me up there right now! The pig squeal can be heard once Sam reaches the boot and Heather wipes off all the jelly, then she sprints over to the bouncy butts, trying desperately to catch up with him. What nobody except me saw coming was that he'd land swiftly at the end and loudly belch. While somehow this time that started before he hit the ground and it doesn't last for as long (likely because he ate less than in the original timeline and somewhat slower here), it still was quite loud today and is enough to throw Heather off her focus when bouncing across the bouncy butts. The girl lands face-first in the mud as a result and rushes to get back on track while Sam runs to his team. I normally would laugh at Heather's misfortune, but this instance of her pain is hindering our team progress.

Once the gamer reaches his team again, Lindsay goes up to eat as my ex is still conversing with Zoey. At this point, I'm certain their discussion is about Mike/Mal even if I can't exactly hear any of their words (and Mr. Multiple Personalities evidently doesn't hear their words either or he would've said something to them by now). Like I said before, Duncan isn't entirely heartless even though he undoubtedly is an ass, and the guy did make it clear after the last challenge that he's worried for her safety, Gwen's, and mine. I foolishly dismissed his warnings during my first run-through when I knew nothing about Mal's nature, as did Gwen, though Zoey took his concerns seriously back then. That of course has changed since and I do hope Mike can stop his inner demon before it's too late.

Getting back to the game, I see Heather make her way across the last bouncy butt and struggle to get across the rolling pin without slipping off. Lindsay happens to come across a beehive as she continues to eat the pancakes. The bees then come out of their hive and start stinging her!

"Oh no, not the bees! Not the bees!" she screams in pain with a mouthful of pancake and tries to swat them away. "Oh, they're in my eyes! My eyes!"

This whole sight is brutal, and the blonde is lucky none of them sting her eyelids, though a couple get close to it. Imagine how the actor Nicolas Cage would feel. She even used the exact same words as his character from _The Wicker Man_ did when getting tortured by having to wear a helmet with bees in them. Once Lindsay swats the last bee away, her choir sound is played, and she must get running. The blonde makes her way across those bouncy butts and lands on her boobs when reaching the end. Not sure if her large chest cushions the fall in any capacity, but it still is a painful fall and I cringe as she yelps a bit upon landing. Clutching her stomach, the girl looks like she could get sick as Heather tries to maintain her balance on the pin. Lindsay then trails her on the pin and pukes in Heather's face! Our blonde slips off the rolling pin much like Gwen did, and Heather also falls off as the vomit blinded her by getting into her eyes. It disgusts the girl so much that she also throws up.

"Double whammy; Heather AND Lindsay both hurl! They're benched. It's now down to Duncan for the heroes and Scott for the villains." Chris announces as both girls make their way to the benches, slouching in shame.

Scott has a worried look on his face. Hopefully the guy doesn't feel too pressured that it messes up his game. "Good luck!" I encourage him, and the ginger then smiles while flirtatiously pointing finger guns at me as he goes up to eat the remaining pancakes for our team, similar to what he did in the original timeline after I ordered him to start eating (though this time I'm not at all bitter towards Scott and I don't scold "stop smiling at me" like before).

Duncan angrily glares at Scott before going up to eat on behalf of the hamsters. Somebody clearly feels jealous and/or determined to beat his opponent in the race. They both promptly begin mowing down on their pancakes. At one point, a turtle walks out of the Hamsters' stack without harming anyone. If only we got that! It's neck-and-neck until some red fire ants appear from the Vultures' stack. Scott screams in fear upon seeing them, trying to stomp as many as he can while still eating. My ex laughs at him for a moment with his mouth full of pancake. Unfortunately, a bunch of the ants crawl up the ginger's legs, though he manages to shake his legs enough to get some onto the delinquent and he screams too. The two somehow finish their pancake stacks at the exact same time and try to get off the remaining fire ants as they make their ways to the bouncy butts.

"Run Scott, run like your life depends on it, which it does!" Alejandro calls from the sidelines.

Not the way to go about things, Al. It didn't work that well last time and I doubt it'll be any better now that our team is counting on him. The Hamsters cheer for Duncan, minus a nauseous Lindsay who's puking into Gwen's bucket over at the bench and doesn't like him anyway. Gwen and Heather also seem too ill to cheer right now. Scott unfortunately gets himself stuck in the first bouncy butt after Duncan got there slightly earlier and bounced off it without a problem. However, he slips on the second one and groans in pain once he falls in the mud on his back. "You have to do better than that, Chris!" Duncan calls out right before the bouncy butt crushes him, which prompts more painful groaning.

Once Mr. Delinquent recovers from the blow, he gets back up and heads for the bouncy butts again. Thankfully Scott has gotten himself unstuck by now and is bouncing across more easily. Duncan trails him as they reach the rolling pin. Our ginger seems to struggle with his balance unlike last time where his bloated stomach somehow stopped the thing enough for him to simply walk across. An idea then comes to mind.

"You can do it Scott!" I call out, trying to motivate him when I sense that Scott wants to do well for me.

It works! He gains enough confidence and speed to cross the pin without a problem. Looks like I was right in thinking he'd put in full effort for yours truly here. Duncan quickly catches up right as he heads for the boot. It kicks each of them towards the end at the same time. The first one to reach it is…

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Scott!

"And the villains win!" Chris announces from afar.

Alejandro and I cheer for our victorious ginger, heading over to give congratulations. Gwen and Heather smile and clap (still probably feeling too drained from nausea to be vocal) while the Hamsters sulk in defeat. Finally, we get to go back in the hotel instead of those damn cabins! Scott has a huge victorious grin on his face with both fists raised triumphantly in the air. I run towards him and give a congratulatory hug and applaud "Score one for the Scott-meister!", too joyful about our victory to care who sees it or what they think.

He warmly hugs me back for several seconds and then we end it for the moment. The two of us can obviously get more affectionate when alone. Maybe tonight's when we'll officially become a couple. It's getting hard to keep myself back from that more than I already have. He also made it quite clear earlier today with the hand-holding that he's at least getting closer to asking me out. Waiting for him to do that rather than me raising the question is probably for the best in this case as it'll be a clearer sign we aren't rushing into anything.

We make our way with the other Vultures towards the hotel, and I start thinking of how things started between us last time around. When I got stuck in that tree after getting flung off course, he showed the most concern for my well-being. What the cameras didn't show is that Gwen also was worried for me but at the same time lower on energy than normal due to puking (thus focusing much of her attention on that). A couple interns eventually got me out, though it still meant a lot how Scott wanted me safe and he was very relieved once I was freed.

I remember the ginger saying Chris should take better care of us contestants, and then reminding him that the host gets pleasure from our pain. It helped me see Scott in a more positive light. He had of course already flirted with me the first time around, and the exchange made me realize that he truly was into me, not just faking interest like Alejandro did. I wouldn't start reciprocating his affections just yet, but I suppose that partially led to it. That fiasco from the original timeline isn't something I have to worry about now because I'm out of the tree.

Heather, Alejandro, and Gwen head inside the hotel once we reach it. That just leaves Scott and me outside right now. Nobody else can be seen. From behind, I see him grab some loose string from a doorstep and fiddle with it as he walks into the hotel. He's also making inaudible mumbles. Is the ginger making me a ring with it and preparing to ask me out? If so, then it's better than a ring made from a shoelace that's probably filthy! Either way, I'll give him some privacy for now. I decide to go to the confessional outhouse, only realizing now I haven't used it since day one. Entering it, I tell the camera "Thank god we won this challenge! I don't think I could've managed three consecutive nights in those cabins. However, I need to secure myself some immunity while I have a chance, so no sleeping in the hotel tonight." and then exit.

That's right; I plan on volunteering for Boney Island tonight to find the invincibility idol. Unless Lindsay or Duncan found that already (which I doubt), I know exactly where to look, having repeatedly re-watched the episode where Heather found that and then stupidly put it aside unsupervised (erroneously thinking someone would see her with it). Alejandro took full advantage of that lapse in judgement, snatching it away and using it to eliminate her that night when the other Vultures including me voted for him. Not happening if I can get that first!

Entering the hotel, I need some supplies. A flashlight and some sort of lock pick would be ideal. Maybe a knife of some sort could also help. Having seen Duncan smuggle his own knife into many places without getting caught by anyone else, I over time picked up on how to do the same, though it'll be much harder if the blade can't retract. Since the kitchen has lots of knives, I look there first for one, and open a drawer. A switchblade is thankfully in there along with other non-retractable knives. Talk about lucky! I snatch that I then search for my bags because I know I packed a flashlight in there. Some interns have already brought those bags into the girls' bedroom, and I pull my flashlight out of a bag with ease, but where do I get a lock pick?

Wait a moment. I just remembered something crucial; there's a big wall separating "Fun Zone" (where Chris hid the idol) from the main part of Boney Island. No lock pick will do any good when its door is switch-activated. What I could really use is a long rope. Unfortunately, none can be found anywhere in this hotel, which means I must either hope Chef has some in his boat or grip onto each stone on the wall as hard as I can. Both scenarios will really test my climbing skills. Loading my pockets with the switchblade and the flashlight (which is thankfully small enough to fit), I then head outside.

Scott can be found sitting on the doorsteps. "Thanks again for scoring us the win today." I say and then sit next to him, adding "We really needed that."

"Of course, happy to do so!" he replies. "I'm also really glad neither of us are getting eliminated tonight."

I respond with "The feeling is mutual." and can't help but notice him beginning to look nervous.

There's no reasonable doubt that he wants to make his move but doesn't seem sure how to go about it without screwing up. It's the same look he gave when asking me out during my first run-through of the season. Hiding my excitement is getting quite hard when I know what will sooner or later come up.

"Yes, it's nice not to lose three challenges in a row." A cheerful Alejandro adds from behind us before we can say anything else.

Dammit Al; you ruined our moment! Scott was probably ready right then and there to ask me to be his girlfriend, and I was about to accept, but you just HAD to interrupt things. If only I could yell at you for that without raising eyebrows. Hiding my disappointment and frustration, I ask "Think we can maybe WIN three in a row?"

"I like the sound of that!" Burromuerto replies with a grin and states "In the meantime, I'm getting another massage."

He subsequently turns back to go inside. Al must really like visiting that masseuse. Scott then walks off to the confessional with a disappointed look on his face. Come on! Best to let him have privacy now. We both wanted to start a relationship, but our interrupted moment seems to have discouraged him from popping the question. Now that I think about it, we need to talk about one another for matters outside of competing anyway, plus going to exile on our first night as a couple sounds awkward. Guess my excitement temporarily got in the way of thinking things through here.

I of course know lots about Scott from both living through this season already AND watching Revenge of the Island, but what does he know about me as a person other than that I take pride in victory, hate most of Chef's so-called meals, was once a counselor-in-training (CIT), have an interest in law (he definitely saw me reading that law book in both timelines on our way to Wawanakwa), and think strategically? Probably not that much when he doesn't seem to have watched much (if any) Total Drama before joining as a contestant. That obviously will have to change. It likely means I'll eventually have to tell him about my past with Duncan and maybe how Alejandro toyed with my heart.

Speaking of the delinquent, I sense he'll urge Zoey to vote Mike off tonight to get rid of Mal or already has done so, but I doubt the multi-personality teen is going home so soon regardless. Aside from how Mal is highly crafty, my ex is suspected of breaking Sam's game console plus lost the race for his team today while Lindsay barfed on the obstacle course. Both are much more likely than Mike to be tonight's loser. Duncan also acknowledged that he was the odd one out on team hero by asking McLean "Would YOU like to be stuck somewhere you knew you didn't belong?" on our first night.

Overall, I never really got along well with the blonde (especially not during season 2 when she and her best friend Beth got fed up of me being a cunt towards them and really wanted to vote me off), but I'd still prefer her staying over him. If we both reach the merge this time, then maybe I can find a time to make peace with her like I did with Harold, Justin, and Gwen, though that'll be rather difficult given our past conflict. It of course will have to wait either way.

In the meantime, I go up to my room and pull out that law book I read on my way over to camp. May as well pass the time before Chris wants us to come over and attend the elimination ceremony. I pick up the book and resuming reading. After what feels like an hour, my stomach rumbles. While I know we're about to get grilled pork chops tonight with rice and loved eating it during my first run-through, there's no way I can have a full meal when heading for Boney Island.

Chef takes exile volunteers over there before they can eat the winners' meal (except for the night challenge which comes up tomorrow after dinner). Knowing that my hunger will only get worse if ignored, I quietly sneak into the kitchen and grab a piece of the cooked pork (not all of it has been prepared yet). Thankfully there was a nearby plate, so I put my pork chop onto that and carry it over to a dark empty closet as I grab a fork. This pork is quite hot when fresh off the grill, so just holding that in my hands would be a bad idea. After turning on my flashlight, I use my fork and switchblade to cut bite-size pieces and enjoy eating all of chop. Whatever food Lindsay and her yeti may have gotten together on Boney Island, that alone probably wouldn't be enough for me tonight. I then turn off my flashlight, and clean both the fork and blade before returning that fork. It's a miracle nobody caught me or even suspected a thing!

Heading back into my room, I resume reading that book from earlier. Probably should enjoy this room and its beds while I can before going to exile. Scott knocks on my door after it gets dark, telling me "It's time to come down for the elimination ceremony."

I open the door and join him, then the two of us walk outside together. Maybe now he can get to know me better. "Tell me, Scott, what would you do if you won the money this season?" I ask him, which is something I never brought up during my original run-through.

"Use it to start my own business where I'd sell the food my family grows on our farm." he informs me. "My sister Albertha, who we call Al, has wanted to do the same ever since she finished college but could never quite afford it. I've wanted for a while to help my family out financially so that could happen someday. She taught me how to pluck our crops at the right time when our parents went out shopping. Because of her, if you ask anyone back home, I'm a great plucker! I figure she could also help run the business with me and teach anyone who wants to know how to pluck. What would you do?"

It makes sense that he'd do something for his family farm when he grew up there. Nice to also see more of his softer side. Maybe falling in love with me changed him even more than he already had after the end of season 4. Getting to his question, I reply with "Help pay for an apartment, my college tuition, and when I go to law school at some point. My parents are lawyers with their own firm, and my goal is to one day join them. It's a job that can pay quite well. Both of my brothers hope to as well. One of them, Stuart, is in law school now. Timothy, the other one, is currently in college. Once he graduates from there, he'll go to law school too. After seeing how upset my mom and dad were sometimes when they lost court cases, I guess one could say it motivated me to win as much as possible, so I don't feel the way they did. It admittedly has often gone over the top, and I'm trying to tone myself down there."

Did I seriously just reveal my motivation for victory to someone who's only known me for a few days? Can't take it back now. That's something only my parents and brothers knew before tonight. I really regret never listening to my family when they said I often went overboard with wanting to win. Thankfully they still love and accept me as a person despite how much of a bitch I often have been around others, and we're all quite close. I do of course know better than to take my issues out on Mom, Dad, Stuart, or Timothy. In the future, I must remember to take their advice more often.

Scott is someone I know I can trust after all the time we spent together in the original timeline as well as in this one. It of course is quite clear he can also trust me at this point given all our interactions (unlike the time after my chart where he refused to trust or forgive me no matter how much I tried to say sorry). If nothing else, I feel grateful for how my family and Scott love me for who I am. Having Gwen as a friend again is also quite nice. Maybe I could also befriend others here from this season before it ends. Anyway, Scott and I are now approaching the ceremony. We join the other Vultures in the winners' seats, where I sit beside Gwen and Scott takes the other spot next to me. All six of the remaining Hamsters have already arrived, which will soon become five.

Chris opens the ceremony with "The villains win for a change tonight thanks to the triumph of villain Scott and loss of hero Duncan."

"I'm NOT a hero no matter what team you put me on; I'm a villain!" an irritated Duncan interjects.

"It doesn't matter what you think right now so shut up!" our host bitterly retorts. "Anyway, after reviewing today's footage and laughing a lot, I'd like to thank you all for the entertainment. Now, time to vote someone out, heroes."

Each of the Hamsters then proceeds to vote. As they do so, I notice Heather and Alejandro are chatting behind me, probably about who they think will get axed tonight. Without paying attention to who goes up to vote when, I subtly put my hands into my pockets to ensure my switchblade and mini flashlight are still there, and both are in fact in place. Everything is set for Boney Island once I head off! Just need to speak up before anyone else can once our team is asked for a volunteer.

After everyone finishes voting, Chris tells them "With the votes cast, time to send a hero home! Tonight, it's not going to be Sam, Cameron, Zoey, or Mike." and then gives marshmallows to each of them as he calls their names.

Another change-up in the eliminations! No surprise that Sam stays in the game when he doesn't cheat this time or lose for his team. As I expected, Lindsay and Duncan are in the bottom two following their failures in today's challenge. For some reason, the editors cut out footage of the night's first four marshmallow distributions and then never showed any other times the safe contestants got those for the rest of the season's elimination ceremonies. The challenges after this instead just had Chris declare a contestant eliminated while on camera and everyone else then gets marshmallows off-screen.

"We're down to the final two contestants." McLean then announces after a pause as the delinquent and the blonde both have worried looks on their faces. "Who will get the final marshmallow? Will it be Duncan the race loser, or Lindsay the pancake hurler? The last marshmallow goes to…

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Lindsay!"

The blonde grins as our host gives her the last marshmallow and tells my frowning ex "Makes sense when you cost your team the challenge. Duncan, you're done. I also saw you destroy Sam's game system yesterday when reviewing hotel footage earlier tonight and was planning to keep this a secret until you left the competition since it would help build drama and suspense. Now that you've been voted off, it was time for the reveal."

FUCK YES! So glad that prick is out early this time as I would've hated for him to reach the merge again. I silently give a fist-bump to Gwen, who smiles and is clearly also glad to see the jackass ousted. He obviously doesn't have the invincibility idol or already would've said so by now and used it to save himself.

"OK fine yes; I wrecked it. Just denied that at first so they wouldn't vote me off so early in the game, but it doesn't look like that matters now." Duncan confesses and then points to Sam as he notes "Chances are the gaming nut would otherwise repeatedly keep me up at night with that thing. If I'm headed home, then I may as well go out with a bang."

"I beg your pardon?" our confused host inquires.

Duncan then gives a malicious grin as he pulls out some switch from his pocket and states "Say hello to my little friend from Boney Island!" before pressing it.

Like everyone except the delinquent, I turn to the side of noise when hearing a massive explosion! Some smoke can be seen in the distance.

"What the heck was that!?" Zoey questions in shock.

Chris gets some binoculars to look at it, gasping in horror at the sight and crying "My cottage!" with despair.

Is this for real!? We all know his "cottage" is a god damn MANSION. I pretend not to know what he's talking about this time as I go to grab the binoculars for a closer look, retorting "A cottage? That was a mansion!" as I examine the remains.

Our delinquent is doing some little victory dance while sadistically laughing and remarks "Oh yeah! Woo-hoo! Now who's gone soft?" before throwing the switch at Scott's face out of spite and continuing to laugh.

The ginger yelps in pain and reprimands "So not cool!" while rubbing the spot he got hit as every remaining contestant (including me) glares at my ex.

"Yes, dirt boy, it is." Duncan insists and then taunts Chris with "Told you I was a villain, McLean. Suck it!"

I should've guessed the delinquent of all people would find something explosive in exile and smuggle it onto the main island undetected. Looks like he attached that bomb to the mansion in between today's challenge and the elimination ceremony. Meanwhile, our host is still saddened by the explosion and complains "So many pictures of me, gone! All, all gone!"

Trying to console his depressed friend, Chef places one hand on his shoulder and offers "We'll build you another cottage."

"It was a MANSION, not a cottage!" I remind him with some irritation.

"Whatever. I need to go make a call." the cook dismisses as he walks away.

"Do you know how many statues of me were lost in that explosion? Five!" a now angry McLean adds. "Duncan Ebert, you officially are BANNED from competing on this show ever again for spitefully destroying my property like that in front of me AND rubbing it in my face!"

"Eh, worth it for your pain." Duncan shrugs nonchalantly.

Good riddance! Nobody has any issues with that ban, especially not Gwen or me. Any respect the Total Drama cast may have had for him is unquestionably gone because of that explosion, just like it vanished after he blew up the mansion when I first lived through the season. Maybe now he won't be brought back to get stuffed in the balloons along with every other eliminated contestant for the finale like in the original timeline where the finalists must free two at random who help them in the challenge.

"I should've known you overall were more of a destructive jerk than anything else!" an angry Zoey chastises Duncan, no longer sensing any good within him like she did here or in the original timeline even when he tried to insist he was bad.

Now that I think about it, the pigtailed girl was probably his closest thing to a friend among the contestants this season after Gwen dumped him during my initial run-through. Zoey can be naïve at times and misplace her trust, though isn't outright gullible. She undoubtedly got smarter throughout her time on season 4. The only person who could really trick her this season (in both timelines) is probably Mal unless you count me for hiding my time travel this time around. In all fairness, Mal is quite capable of deceiving everyone as he can easily imitate Mike's mannerisms, so I can't blame her for thinking her boyfriend was in control at certain times when he wasn't. I made that mistake more than once with him and could easily continue to do so.

"Told you guys it was better to get rid of Duncan sooner than later." Lindsay remarks. "Thanks for listening to me."

"Sure thing. Part of me also somehow knew he hurt my Game Guy, and then I had even more reason to vote him off after he cost us the challenge." Sam tells her.

"Wait, you all conspired to give me the boot?" Duncan asks.

"Not exactly a conspiracy, but Lindsay did warn us during your time in exile that you were a threat." Cameron admits.

Lindsay, I must give you props for that. I do remember in season 2 how you and Beth more than once unsuccessfully tried to vote him off to spite me when I had immunity, so it makes sense you'd try to do so here. You now officially have my respect for getting the delinquent out when I hate his guts these days. I also like seeing more of your smarter side.

"Can't blame her for wanting you gone after all that happened today." Mike comments.

"Well played, Linds; you're smarter than I thought." Duncan relents.

Two police officers then appear behind him. It looks like Chef called them over. One of cops tells him "You're under arrest for the destruction of a private cottage" as he put his hand on Duncan's shoulder.

The delinquent now looks very nervous, realizing he went too far and fucked up big time. Seeing him get his comeuppance is of course very satisfying, but the cops really think that thing was a cottage!? "It was a fucking MANSION!" I yell in frustration.

"Way to go, bad boy; I hope looking cool is worth getting locked up again." Gwen mocks him just like in the original timeline, alluding to how he was once in juvie.

It doesn't look like he cares here that the goth is of course being sarcastic and happily replies with "It is; I'm gonna RULE juvie!"

"Juvie?" our host inquires, "Um, you destroyed a MAJOR piece of property. It's a big boy jail for you, bro, and it's gonna be a REAL slammer!" before laughing at the delinquent.

Going to jail instead of juvie also makes sense when he's 18 and thus no longer a minor.

"Uh, wait. It was an accident." Duncan tries to bullshit his way out of jail with a nervous voice while being escorted away. "Come on guys, have a heart! I-I-I didn't know you weren't supposed to put a toaster in the microwave!"

"Cut the crap and I hope you rot in hell" I snap as I give him the middle finger, and he growls "Dah, snuggle muffins!"

While they leave, a satisfied Chris says "Ah, justice" and then "Thanks Chef for calling the cops in on short notice" as Hatchet returns to the scene.

"Of course. We all know he needed that." the cook responds.

"While flushing Duncan would've been quite nice, him getting arrested instead is totally worth it." McLean remarks. "Now, getting back to business, which winner is gonna be a LOSER tonight on Boney Island?"

Before anybody else can volunteer, I tell him "It's my turn. I need to find that idol."

Chef then escorts me into his boat and we go to Boney Island. As the boat takes off, I look around for anything that could help. Just my luck! A long rope is tucked under one of the benches. Best not to take it or anything else until I arrive at the island, though. I also see a bigger flashlight than my own. That of course could be useful in case the batteries in mine run out. Within five minutes, Hatchet and I reach the island. I grab the rope and flashlight as I get off at the docks. Chef then tells me "Best of luck with your search!" and drives off, and surprisingly doesn't seem to care that I took the rope or flashlight. Time to get hunting. This should be one hell of a night.

 **Next chapter, our time-traveler will do whatever she can to find that idol! I'm bound to have fun writing that. Stay tuned to find out what the CIT does to get it. Duncan's arrest for blowing up the mansion was also too iconic for me to leave out even though I didn't have him use a dynamite like in canon.**

 **Reason for elimination: Since Sierra was already eliminated on day one, I had to change up the pancake eating order for the Hamsters when she went first for them in canon. I figured Duncan would likely try to talk with Zoey as much as possible about Mal before he goes up to eat following his early discovery of Mike's evil persona, thus being last to eat put him on the chopping block for losing the challenge. Lindsay also knows how well Duncan did in previous seasons and that he was a threat in this game, so given how she and Beth made multiple plans to get rid of the delinquent in Total Drama Action, it made sense to me that she would do so again in this season when on the same team as him, doesn't like the guy to begin with, and had the chance to vote him off pre-merge.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Cameron, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: September 9, 2018.**


	7. A Night on Boney Island

**Writing this chapter (as predicted) was quite fun for me. I'm surprised I got it out only five days after the previous one. Responding to more reviews now.**

 **That British Guy: I do feel Courtney would've been more likable in canon if less bitchy, though keep in mind that our CIT was the season 2 antagonist, which inherently meant she had to be mean then in order to play its villain.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Really glad you like the story so much now and Lindsay's plan to vote off Duncan! The blonde is also one of my favorite females in Total Drama. Eliminating the delinquent last chapter was admittedly quite satisfying for me. Courtney's definitely got a plan for Boney Island, and she's waiting until Scott makes a move on her before they become a couple.**

 **ShadowJcreed: While Duncan was often a jerk from the beginning, I didn't exactly hate him until he shamelessly cheated on Courtney during season 3. It made me lose all respect for the delinquent. That relationship was doomed from the start even if Duncan had stayed faithful, and he seemed more compatible with Gwen given their common interests and such, but the delinquent never deserved either girl to begin with. I have plans for Sam that you'll see in Chapter 8.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Many thanks! You counted the episode difference correctly, though I wouldn't quite say people in the Total Drama universe as a whole hate Duncan as much as Ezekiel (he REALLY deteriorated in season 3 by going feral). Nice to know you also appreciate what I'm doing with Lindsay. The idol stays in the same place every time since Chris and Chef don't have the time, energy, or patience to keep relocating it.**

 **TheSaneSierra: Your username is an oxymoron given how insane Total Drama's Sierra is :P. Anyway, Chris knows better than to send both a male and female off to Boney Island unsupervised (especially when Scott isn't 18 yet) as he doesn't want any M-rated activity going on there.**

 **animefan1009: Nice to know you felt Duncan's elimination was a nice-change up from canon. Courtney will of course have more scenes with Scott (which I'm glad you enjoy), but they'll be after this chapter as she's now alone on Boney Island.**

 **Story time!**

With lots of time on my hands, I just might get that idol before sunrise. Where is that opening to that so-called Fun Zone? I turn on the big flashlight and wave it around to help see things. There it is! In case the cameras on this island are recording me, I first place my flashlight and rope down to rustle some bushes to avoid suspicion of already knowing the true location, peering into each and moving my arms about in them without hurting myself. Once I finish doing that, I head over to the big steel door and notice now that has some markings which weren't there when I first visited it.

The letters "DE" have been carved into the door, presumably for the initials of Duncan Ebert, who unquestionably made that when in exile last night. I hope to never see him again. Another difference this time is its windows are also smashed (he surely did that too), but those are too small for me to climb through. No way am I getting stuck in those! Good thing this rope is with me. Placing the flashlight down at an angle to give me light, I uncoil some rope and toss it up over the entrance.

Thankfully, enough rope falls through on the other side for me to grab through a broken window. I should probably secure its bases for when I climb in and out. Before grabbing that end, I go over and find two rocks. I then grab that tossed-over part of the rope and tie one rock to it before tying the other rock to the other end. It's a good thing I learned how to tie secure knots in my CIT experience! Now it's climbing time. Once I put the big flashlight through the window (too difficult to carry up while climbing the wall), I make my way over. With limited light, I'll mostly have to feel my way around. I grip tightly onto the rope with both hands and put my feet against the door to lift myself up. Here we go.

My journey to get over that wall is unsurprisingly a challenge, especially without much light. I'm amazed I even had enough rope for this! To avoid getting cut on window glass shards, I make slow steps up. It gets trickier once I reach a big roof-like log right above the door, having to make my way past that. Not daring to let go of the rope and risk falling, I instead hook one leg around to get it on top, and then do the same with my other. I use this to propel myself above the log and now the stone roof is within an arm's reach once I stand up straight. To stay safer, I release one hand from the rope and put it on the roof before placing the other on it.

Getting down should be easier, but I still must be careful of that TV monitor on the inside. Breaking that will raise suspicions. Luckily that flashlight shines enough light to show me where that is. Take it easy here, Courtney. Grabbing the rope again once on the roof, I slowly descend until I reach that monitor, placing both feet on top of it. So far so good. I then jump back a bit and make sure my feet never even touch the screen itself, instead touching part of the door. Watch for the window glass shards! I thankfully avoid those again while lowering myself, and safely land on the ground unharmed. Let the hunt begin.

Taking my big flashlight with me, I embark on one risky journey. I know this "Fun Zone" is even more dangerous at night than day, but I really don't want anybody else to get that idol before me, especially Mal. That would be big trouble. The sooner I find that nest with a fire-breathing mutant goat with wings and her eggs (the idol is inside one of those), the better. How do I get the mother goat away from them, though? In any case, with murky waters and mutant creatures throughout the area, I really need to watch my step! That flashlight better not die on me.

Looks like I'm about to find out how far away that nest is. If only the cameras showed how far Heather and Alejandro went from the entrance to get there. As I make my way through the area, I continue examining other parts of the area in case any cameras are watching me, but then soon realize they would be blinking if they were. Thank god for some privacy from Chris and the cast. Keeping my flashlight pointed at the ground so I can see my path, I'm determined to get that idol before anyone else, and should later call Heather out for lying about Alejandro targeting anyone other than her for elimination when we come here for the egg hunting challenge.

How the animals can sleep through all of this is beyond me. I'm probably fucked if any of them wake up now. Whenever possible, I opt to play it safe and walk along land instead of jumping across waters. After what feels like at least twenty minutes, I see the cliff with that egg containing the immunity idol. The bad news is that the mother goat is sleeping in her nest with the eggs presumably underneath. Reaching underneath is just too risky. Is killing that goat possible without waking anything else up? I hesitantly start climbing up the cliff, accidentally rumbling some rocks in the process with my feet. Shit! The goat wakes up and makes a "bah" sound.

She probably sees me! Without much thought, I pick up a rock and throw it behind the goat, thinking it'll distract her long enough for me to get the eggs. Hard to say which has the idol and which has a baby mutant goat. Mother goat turns towards the rock. Another noise is heard. Which of us woke something else? I shine my flashlight on some mutant flying three-eyed moose. At least this wasn't Larry the mutant Venus flytrap or some huge gopher. Mother goat breathes fire at that moose as they engage in some sort of battle, and I take the opportunity to snatch both goat eggs.

There's no way I can run with two eggs AND use my flashlight at the same time, so I smash one open in the nest and find the idol. Eureka! I grab that and stuff it in my pocket before taking the other egg (to avoid suspicion from others) and promptly start running before that goat can find me. Once I'm a safe distance away from her, I stop to catch my breath. I can't believe I fucking got the invincibility idol on my first try! Only Scott was ever able to find it so easily, and that was during season 4. It would blow everybody else's minds (including his) if they found out what I did to get this.

Unfortunately, there's no way I can tell anyone yet other than maybe Chris or Chef. This giant egg in the meantime might be edible enough for breakfast in the morning if I can find something to cook it with. Should the host ask how I found that idol, I'll tell him I took both eggs for cooking, and accidentally dropped one on my way which happened to contain it. Good thing the cameras in "Fun Zone" aren't operating right now or my lie would be exposed.

How can I hide that egg before its mother comes after me, though? Once I reach the steel door, I put it through a broken window and place that on the ground. Luckily it stays in one piece. I know this will hatch within a couple days, so I better cook it ASAP in the morning or throw that away. Placing the flashlight on the other side as well through the window, I grab the rope for climbing and make my way up to the top again. Like before, I go slowly to stay safe around broken window shards and this time the giant TV. Since it's much bigger than the log, I decide to climb around that instead of over it. Reaching the top of the stone wall, I take one hand from it to the roof at a time and pull myself to get on top.

Thankfully the log is still reachable. As I re-grab the rope while on the stone roof, I lower myself onto the log, and then jump back a bit to avoid hitting my face with it. I luckily touch the door with my feet before descending further. Avoiding the window glass shards, I safely land on the ground without hitting the egg or flashlight. Taking a big sigh of relief, I feel very accomplished; I successfully took the immunity idol AND an egg out from Fun Zone in one go without getting hurt at all! Believe it or not, I haven't said anything aloud since arriving on Boney Island, which was in case any cameras were recording me as I didn't want to risk them catching me talk about my time-travel.

Having the idol in my possession makes me feel quite accomplished! Hopefully I don't have to use it before the merge as that would leave me more vulnerable (unless of course I win solo victory in challenges). In the meantime, I need somewhere to sleep. Where did the others rest at night? If I wasn't afraid of the yeti Lindsay befriended, then I might ask him for help, but that would likely be a last resort. I untie the rope from its rocks, coil it up, and place that on my shoulder before taking the egg with me as I look for shelter. A cave comes up after what I would guess was ten minutes. Hopefully no bears or yetis live in there. Shining my flashlight inside, I inspect for any traces of animals, and find a sleeping bear. No good.

As I turn to exit the cave, I hear a growling. The bear woke up! I then start running as fast as I can out of the cave and don't stop or look back until I'm outside. Not letting myself become bear food tonight! Suddenly, I notice that my pocket feels much lighter. My immunity idol must've fallen out while running. Dammit! No way am I going in that cave again before morning or it'll surely attack me. To help myself find this cave again later, I take out my switchblade and carve an X on the outside.

Some other cave that's empty would be useful right about now. My big flashlight is unfortunately running low on battery. I turn that off to conserve its remaining energy and start using the small one from my pocket instead. Wow, I forgot how bright this little thing is, and should've used it earlier when climbing the rope! When morning comes, this rope could be useful for setting a trap or maybe grabbing that idol from a distance, though I still need something to lure that bear out from the cave in either case. Perhaps fish and/or berries would do the trick. As a last resort, I could kill it with my switchblade, though seriously hope it doesn't come down to that.

Out in the distance, I find another cave on Boney Island, and go over to inspect it. No animals are in there when I aim my flashlight inside! Seems like a fine spot for now. The only thing that irks me is some human skeleton bones. Some poor soul must've been eaten here a while ago. On the plus side, there is a big frying pan that person evidently brought in, which I can use for cooking food. I place my egg and big flashlight down before going to get some sticks for the morning. These will help me start a fire to cook the egg and might also serve as somewhat of a defense against yeti or bear attacks. I turn off my small flashlight and put that to the side along with my rope and switchblade before going to sleep. In the morning, I need to promptly eat and then get my immunity idol back.

 **I doubt any of you saw that twist coming with the idol. Courtney certainly didn't expect to lose it either! Chapter 8 probably will probably be released sometime next month (October) given my schedule outside of fanfiction.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Cameron, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: September 14, 2018.**


	8. Daytime Survival with a Moonlit Race

**Another chapter I got done earlier than I originally expected. After I respond to more reviews, we'll get to the story.**

 **ShadowJcreed: It's great you liked the nighttime Boney Island chapter! It was fun to make, and of course Courtney doesn't want the others to find that idol she lost.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: An unfortunate loss for sure. Our time-traveler will definitely take advantage of her chance to get the idol back before it's too late.**

 **That British Guy: Not sure why you didn't find Chapter 7 interesting, but sorry for that and I hope you like this one more.**

 **xtremexavier15: There was also no dialogue in Chapter 1, only the CIT's narration :P. Anyway, you're about to find out about that idol.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Yeah I wanted to keep readers on the edge and it looks like I succeeded (at least in your view).**

 **dm4487: While I appreciate the praise for my fic here, I must decline on your idea for a Duncan redemption fic as I prefer to work with my own story concepts and won't take new story requests, though am open to suggestions for ongoing fics. I've also hated the delinquent's guts ever since his season 3 infidelity and refuse to give him the satisfaction of painting him in an overall positive/recovering light, plus I'm certain he cherishes his "bad boy" image too much to want to make up for his past bad actions anyway or feel remorse for them.**

 **Yello: I would prefer if you posted future reviews in English. Anyway, getting to your point (presuming I translated it correctly), it's nice you like my fic and the idea of Courtney fixing her past mistakes. As for Duncan being more angry/jealous, I was trying to keep him in character with how he overall was in canon season 5.**

 **Resuming the CIT's Crusade!**

My back unsurprisingly feels stiff in the morning from sleeping in this cave. How late did I sleep in? The good news is that I'm in one piece and that nothing took away my stuff! Curious about what's outside, I peer my head out from my cave's entrance. I see a ripped backpack and two very big pots off to one of its sides. Never noticed those last night, but to be fair, it was dark and back then I was much more concerned about what was inside this cave. These must've belonged to the person who got eaten in here. Within that backpack I find a few plates, a pair of tongs, a lighter, a small pot, a pair of pot holders, some paper towels, a fork, a knife, a spatula, a spray can of cooking oil, an empty water bottle, a can opener, a roll of toilet paper, and a can of beans. Nothing to sleep with? Whoever that was evidently never planned to stay here overnight. It amazes me all these things are intact.

Thinking maybe the beans would be easier to prepare, I grab those along with the small pot and go off to fill the pot with water for cooking them. I thankfully am close to water and fill up the pot without a problem. A foul smell comes from the can of beans when I open that. It almost makes me gag! I should've guessed they'd gone bad by now. These also look very old, so I dump them out on the ground. Looks like that egg will be my breakfast after all. I should probably boil it with that big pot. That would be much easier than trying to crack the thing open, and even if I could without bringing out a live goat, I doubt I could so easily fit it on one plate. This small pot's water could still be used to extinguish my fire, though.

Grabbing one of the big pots with both hands, I take that to the water and fill it. This thing is heavy when full! I take it closer to my cave and set it down near the entrance. Better get the fire started. I take some of the sticks and place them in a pile for burning. To keep them in one spot, I grab a bunch of rocks and use those to make a ring around the stick pile. That pot still needs to be propped up, so I take three thick logs and stand them up in a triangle within that ring. After using the lighter to get a fire going on the pile of sticks in my ring, I blow on the fire to prevent it from spreading. It's a good thing I learned how to cook in the wild before coming here.

Once my fire heats up, I place the filled pot on top of the three standing logs and grab two of the plates. It starts to boil within five minutes. Time to put the egg in that water. I let it boil for about half an hour (keeping in mind these are much larger than typical chicken eggs and thus would take longer to boil) before putting it on one of my plates. Thank god for the pot holders! My switchblade can thankfully cut through the egg without issue, and there miraculously is only yolk along with solidified eggs whites on the inside! It would've been quite disturbing if I saw goat features after cooking that thing. How mutant goat eggs function compared to chicken eggs is beyond me, but what matters now is that I can eat it without being attacked.

I extinguish the fire with my small pot's water before cutting a slice of giant egg and placing it onto the other plate. Grabbing the fork and knife from that backpack (my switchblade should be conserved for inedible things when possible), I then cut that slice of it into bite-size pieces and eat a few of those. It unsurprisingly has quite a different taste from chicken eggs, but better than I expected. Not bad at all! Once the other pieces have been eaten, I repeat this process until about half the egg has been eaten. I'll save the rest for lunch later as I start feeling a bit full right now.

What I need to do ASAP is get that invincibility idol back from the bear cave! There unfortunately isn't anything decent I can find for making a trap with. Taking the rope and my switchblade with me as I head over to its cave, I have no choice but to lasso in the idol and will only stab the bear if it gets too close to me. Good thing I made that X on this cave entrance last night to find it. Peering inside, the idol and bear are out of sight. Maybe I won't have such a hard time after all. I regardless decide to play it safe by tying a loop in the rope to pull the idol away once I find it. With some hesitation, I start walking inside with my rope, hoping the bear didn't eat that idol.

After about five minutes, I thankfully can see the idol towards the end of the cave, but the bear is sleeping nearby it. Better get this over with. I toss my rope loop over the idol and quickly pull it back towards me with one hand before catching it in the other. Good thing the bear's still asleep! Not wanting to spend any more time in the cave than necessary, I promptly exit before that bear wakes up. There's no way I can risk losing this idol in the cave again, so I hold it tight in my hand as I run towards the entrance, not daring to stop or look back before I get outside. As I stop to catch my breath, I hear a roar from within!

To hide from the now awake and angry bear, I hide behind a bush off to the side of the cave's entrance. It apparently likes that idol as well. I see the bear poke its head outside the entrance and sniff around for several seconds. Who could blame Cody for having a phobia of them, especially after one mauled him in the first season? The bear then growls in what seems to be frustration before heading back into the cave. Thank god it didn't hurt me or find my idol!

Not wanting to become bear food, I steer clear of that cave entrance and make my way back towards the cave I slept in. I can recognize it because of the uneaten half of my egg and plates near the opening. After some thought, it occurs to me that this will probably go bad if left out for too long, so I decide to eat what remains while it's still edible. My stomach also conveniently somehow doesn't feel so full anymore. Like before, I cut off individual slices and then cut the slices into bite-size pieces before eating those. Good thing I finished this before it rotted.

Something then occurs to me; since our next challenge takes place during the night, Chef won't pick me up from Boney Island until sunset is approaching. It'll be a race in the dark through Camp Wawanakwa where the first team to have all its members reach the finish line wins. I therefore have lots of spare time on my hands as the sun is shining high and brightly right now. How should I pass it when the immunity idol is already in my possession? Camp Wawanakwa is too far away for me to just swim back there. In the meantime, I really need the bathroom and feel quite grateful that backpack I found had toilet paper in it. I take that roll with me and go relieve myself behind a bush, wiping once I finish, and return that roll to the backpack.

Since nothing better comes to mind, I decide to spend some spare time at the shore. I stuff my switchblade and little flashlight into my pockets before putting the idol into one of them and then grabbing my rope as well as the big flashlight, just in case it somehow gets dark before I return. Walking over to a shoreline, I put down the rope and big flashlight to take a bunch of rocks into my hands. Let's see how far I can skip these.

Taking one of the rocks, I toss it across the water and it bounces three times before sinking. Not bad for a start. My next throw goes a bit further with five bounces prior to its plummet. After that I get six bounces. This process continues until my hands are empty, and then I repeatedly refill my hands with rocks before also skipping those across the water. The most amount of pre-sink skips I got was thirteen. That just might be a new record for me! Anyway, after a few hours of skipping rocks, I start feeling hungry again. Luckily some berry bushes are within walking distance from here. I walk over there and pick a handful of berries.

The berries I gather thankfully are safe to eat. After finishing the ones in my hand, I pick another handful and eat those as well. If only something more filling was available. I would try fishing but have nothing to catch fish with. Asking Lindsay's yeti friend for help is risky when he doesn't even know who I am let alone trust me, despite her assurances that he's only harmful when agitated. How am I supposed to know what to do other than avoid putting clothes on him or taunting his appearance?

In the meantime, I grab a third handful of berries and eat them as well. Perhaps a walk around this island could help pass the time. Before beginning that, I go to the backpack and get that toilet paper out in case I need it again. With the toilet paper in one hand, my big flashlight in the other, my rope over one shoulder, and my idol, switchblade, and mini flashlight in my pockets, I head out to cross the island's perimeter. Just like when I visited back in season 1 with the Killer Bass, its atmosphere has a creepy vibe (which was probably the intent). After an estimated two hours, my gut gurgles a bit. Those berries don't seem to have settled as well as I thought even if this is a delayed effect.

Rushing over to a nearby bush, I have a bout of diarrhea. So disgusting and painful! Luckily none of it gets on my clothes. Thank you also to whoever invented toilet paper. Note to self: take more caution with berries in the wild. I wipe thoroughly once it's all over and walk away from the gross sight with all my belongings. The sun is bound to fade sooner or later, and I'm more than halfway across the perimeter. Better get back to the opening before sunset so Chef can more easily find me. It takes me a little over an hour (if I had to guess) to reach the docks where I was dropped off. I should probably return this toilet paper while I have the chance as the sun will set soon. Walking towards my cave from last night, I place it in the backpack, and then find a pile of fish near the cave with that bear.

Believe it or not, I take one fish from the pile. There's nothing else available for dinner and I won't get anything back at camp before the challenge starts. With the fish in my hands, I take put it on one of my plates and cut the thing open with my switchblade to remove its guts before cutting off the sides for cooking. It's a messy process but must be done. Those guts get thrown off to the side once everything has been cut. Thankfully that backpack had paper towels and I use them to clean the fish and my switchblade. I then go fill up the small pot with water for fire extinguishing, grab the frying pan I found last night, and start up another fire in the same way I did this morning (except of course with new burning sticks).

Once I spray the pan with cooking oil and get my spatula ready, I place that pan on the triangle of standing logs and one minute later place the pieces of fish onto it. After around five minutes, I flip each piece, and let the other sides cook for about the same time. The fish is then ready to eat, and I cut each slice into bite-size pieces. It's not very flavorful, but I wasn't expecting that when no seasonings where available. Still satisfying overall and much better than the losers' dishes at Wawanakwa. I finish each piece just as the sun starts to set, so I extinguish the fire and then head back to the docks with my big flashlight, rope, immunity idol, switchblade, and mini flashlight. It looks like I timed things just right.

In the distance, something can be seen flying in the sky. It must be Chef's helicopter. Hearing noises affirms my guess as they get louder and the object comes closer. I raise one hand in the air with the idol to show my success. Hatchet lowers his helicopter to the ground and then asks me "How the flying FUCK did you get into Fun Zone in one night on your own!?" with a look of pure shock on his face.

I truthfully respond with "After looking around the island for a bit, I came across a giant door with broken windows and carvings, and then decided to check out the area. This rope really came in handy for climbing over its wall as I refused to risk getting stuck in a window." as I walk towards the helicopter, climb inside, and take a seat next to him.

"In fairness, I previously saw Duncan had marked his territory there when picking him up at the door yesterday. Should've guessed he'd do something worse within 24 hours and get himself banned from competing on the show. Ezekiel is the only other contestant we ever had to ban before last night's explosion, which of course was because of the havoc he wreaked after going feral in season 3. As for the fake egg with the idol inside, I'd really like to know how you found that. Please do tell me." Hatchet inquires as he starts up the helicopter.

"Pure luck. I explored the so-called Fun Zone for a while, took a couple eggs with me I found for breakfast in the morning, and accidentally dropped one of them which happened to contain the idol." I lie as the helicopter rises, hoping he'd believe me.

"Definitely lucky on your part. Since you surely don't wanna drop the idol or let anybody else find it, I'll keep that idol until the next time you lose a challenge. Just come see me before the elimination ceremony then as I don't want Chris to know yet that any contestant found it." he replies.

"Thanks, and I will!" I affirm and hand the idol to the cook as he puts it in his pocket as we head off Camp Wawanakwa.

It only takes a minute or two before we arrive. I can hear Chris announce "Evening campers! Gather around the starting line for a BIG announcement." as we get closer to where the other contestants meet.

Once the helicopter hovers above them, I tell my team below "Somebody catch this!" as I let go of my big flashlight and Alejandro catches it.

Chef then holds some of my rope as I use that to make my way to the ground (there's not enough room for him to safely land it here). I then join the other Vultures, standing in between the goth and the ginger, and Chef releases the rope for me to catch before flying off. "Good news you guys!" our host tells us as he walks over "As a special treat, it's time for an extremely dangerous night time challenge!"

No shock that McLean of all people would consider this a "treat" or "good news" given how much of a sadist he is.

"How is this 'good news'?" Gwen inquires, making air-quotations around the "good news" part.

"Entertainment value, hello? This one is gonna be ratings gold!" Chris replies before Chef brings over a map of the island, and then he continues "In a nod to season 4's buried treasure fiasco, your challenge is to race to the far end of the island. First team to get every member across the finish line wins, and someone from the losing team WILL be taking the big flush", pointing downwards as he finishes the last part.

This really is more like last season's scavenger hunt where teams try to stick together to avoid penalties as they reach the end during the nighttime, so it beats me why he didn't compare tonight's challenge to that instead. Perhaps he didn't think things through here. It seems like Sam read my mind, asking "Don't you mean the evening scavenger hunt? That was closer to what you've just given us then the treasure challenge."

"I forgot about that. Regardless, tonight's full moon is an extremely rare blue harvest moon and let's just say it has an unusual effect on the island's animals." our host responds, chuckling afterwards. "Villainous Vultures, you won the last challenge, so you get this map with the fastest route across the island." he says and shows us said map. Chef walks over with bacon hats and sausage tails for each Hamster and places those on them as Chris continues with "Heroic Chumpsters, you get to wear nifty bacon hats and sausage tails, which should add to the fun when you come face to fang with the island's friendly creatures, and by 'friendly' I mean hungry'.", finishing with a laugh.

Mike then whispers something to Cameron, who I just noticed has his glasses in one piece now. Looks like Mal didn't get to break those like he did in the original timeline. Sam and/or Lindsay competing now must've somehow gotten in the way of that. It continues to amaze me how much that last-minute changeup to the team announcements is affecting things this time around thanks to me getting revenge on Alejandro with that push towards the water as well as Duncan freeing him from the robot suit after getting stuck between rocks. However, Zoey then whispers something Mr. Wilkins and points towards Lindsay, who asks her "He did WHAT!?" in shock.

Uh-oh! I'm guessing Mal did something to the blonde's property instead. Getting back to the game, Heather walks over to take the map from Chris and confidently tells us "This will be a piece of cake!" as she rejoins us and the goth hands her that big flashlight I brought to Boney Island.

"On your mark!" says Chris.

Al then sighs and tells his future girlfriend "You mean a piece of pie" for some reason.

"Get set!" the host continues.

"Listen you-" an irritated Heather retorts before getting interrupted by an airhorn, which begins the race.

Gwen cheers "Woo-hoo!" and Scott proclaims "Yeah!" as our team runs off with the map with the Heroic Hamsters following close behind.

That reminds me of how I saw Multiple Mike plan to do that when re-watching this episode, and how bubble boy liked the idea, but this time has his glasses in one piece. As I said before, Mal instead evidently did something to Lindsay or her property, which couldn't have been good. Did Mal steal her makeup or something? Without Sierra's smartphone around as she was the first one out and Duncan wrecking Sam's game system instead, it doesn't look like that evil persona has done as much bad so far in this timeline. That could later change, though. I need to keep a watch on him when possible.

To nobody's surprise, the sun sets within half an hour, and the moon rises well before we even see the finish line. Heather leads us Vultures with the map as I stay the furthest behind among our team, giving me a better chance to hear for any moments Mike turns into Mal, but still stay close enough to my teammates and keep enough distance from him to avoid suspicion. Good thing my mini flashlight is with me and will come in handy. Alejandro up ahead gives my big flashlight to our map holder. Even though the future Mrs. Burromuerto could read it in the moonlight already, it doesn't hurt for in case she gets herself in a very dark area.

At one point, I vaguely hear Sam comparing our challenge to the _Slender: The Arrival_ , only with animals instead of Slender Man after people. No shock that he would find similarities to a video game. Now that our gamer mentions the actual Slender Man, though, it's a good thing that tall faceless freak won't hunt after us or we'd all probably die. I'd hate for that to be the way my life ended. As for the competition itself, it's a good thing my team still has the lead. I then hear something bad but don't dare turn around to face it as that'll be suspicious.

"Mike, why'd you chuck Lindsay's lipstick at animals?" Cameron asks his multi-personality friend.

"What!? I didn't! Who told you that?" an alarmed Mike questions.

"Zoey made me promise not to say she saw you do it." the bubble boy replies and continues with "Oops! Sorry Zoey." upon realizing he what he let slip.

Lindsay and Sam gasp in shock. It was obviously something Mal did. Mike wouldn't hurt innocent creatures like that.

"Seriously? Aw, man. I don't know what's been up with me lately." Mr. Multiple Personalities adds with remorse. "I haven't been able to summon my other personalities for days, and now I think I might be sleepwalking and messing with peoples' things and—ah, I'm SO sorry, Lindsay."

"It's OK Mike; the animals now can use that to look prettier." the blonde adds.

Are you fucking kidding me!? She just HAD to be air-headed right now. Should've seen that coming. Forest creatures know nothing about how cosmetics work.

"I promise I'll help you figure it out, whatever it is!" Mr. Wilkins assures Mike.

"You're a great friend, Cam!" a grateful Mike tells him.

At least the main persona is in control now instead of his inner demon.

"Look at the moon everyone!" Sam proclaims, and then we all stop to look up and see it turn blue.

"What in the world?" a confused Zoey asks.

"Blue moonlight? Extraordinary!" says Cameron.

"A blue harvest moon, how fortuitous!" I hear an evil-sounding voice mutter and glance towards its source from the corner of my eyes.

That unquestionably was Mal! He even has his hair over one eye.

"What was that, Mike?" Zoey questions him with an eyebrow raised in suspicion.

Mal coughs and brushes his hair away from his face before responding with "Uh, just, you know, sweet moon." in Mike's voice as he puts one hand on her shoulder and gestures towards the moon with the other hand.

There it was; I caught Mal trying to impersonate Mike! That's difficult to do but I did it. It'll probably be even harder to figure out when he turns back into Mike for real. Too bad I can't call him out for it without drawing unwanted attention to myself. He and Zoey share a smile before she walks on ahead. If this was the real Mike in control, then I'd say he and his girlfriend just had a nice moment, but Mal is now among us.

An alligator suddenly shows up in front of us Vultures. Oh shit! We all look at it in fear, and Scott hides behind me. However, instead of attacking, the alligator stands there and thumps its tail against the ground like a dog. What the hell!? I ask "Um, since when do gators do that?" as I point to it.

"This moon is like no other. It must be causing the animals to become their opposite." Alejandro observes as Heather hides behind the map.

How did I forget about the blue moon's effect on them!? That's a huge part of this challenge! Perhaps I focused so much on Mal moments ago as well as retrieving my idol today and surviving Boney Island that it never occurred to me what the animals would do, plus a gator showing up out of nowhere can easily shock people. It certainly took us all by surprise.

"Wow, Alejandro, you're so smart!" Heather compliments him and lowers the map from her face, showing big puppy eyes.

"Excuse me!?" a startled Al questions her as we all stare in shock.

This is totally out of character for his future girlfriend! She puts down the map and big flashlight to tightly hug the gator, almost chocking it. Heather tells it "Who's a little poochy poo? You are, yes you are!" in a sweet-sounding voice during that hug, much like what one would use when talking to their pet.

A disturbed Mr. Burromuerto shudders at the sight. I then remember something; she's just pretending to be affected by the moon just to mess with his head. Quite sneaky there. Lots of angry bunnies then show up, with one roaring like a tiger. I scream in fear and run off with Gwen, taking Scott with me so the bunnies don't hurt him.

"Hurry, there's no time to waste!" Alejandro proclaims as he joins us with the big flashlight.

Scott yelps in pain as a bunny bites him in the ass. He complains 'I'm being taken down by a gang of bunnies!' before I yank that bunny off and toss it away.

Who's left behind? A certain alligator hugger. Her future boyfriend notices this, and impatiently snaps "Hurry up, Heather; you have the map!"

She stops cuddling the purring gator and says "Yay! Running!" while getting up to retrieve the map and join us.

Yes, the alligator was PURRING like a cat! It even smiles while waving Heather goodbye. Our map holder tells us "Good work guys; we're halfway to the finish line! Yippee! This is fun!" before skipping ahead with big smiles.

"OK, this is sufficiently weird." my cringing goth friend tells me.

"I know." I affirm, and then remembering a joke she tells, beat her to the punch with "Maybe Heather's being affected by the Blue Harvest moon because she's part wolf."

We both then share a laugh. It lasts much longer this time because we've already made up. In the original timeline, I abruptly stopped because I still was mad at Gwen (to her disappointment) and didn't want to give her the satisfaction of enjoying any of her jokes. After about fifteen minutes, we approach a bridge that easily looks like it could break and stop. Ms. Goth is immediately wary of it.

Before she can complain about it being a trap, I gesture towards my rope and ask my team "Anybody up for a swing?".

Gwen states "I was about to say we should go around, but that just might work."

"Come on guys; nothing to be afraid of!" Heather pseudo-encourages us as she prepares to cross the bridge.

"Except you." one snarky Alejandro adds.

"Maybe someone BRAVE should cross it first and make sure it's safe." she replies with her puppy-eye look, probably trying to stroke his ego.

Not wanting Scott to get a beaver to bite off one of the bridge ropes, I speak up before he can volunteer to cross and insist "Fine; YOU cross that thing."

Heather shrugs her shoulders and walks across. Alejandro then follows when she's about a third of the way across. Two of the boards then snap under her feet halfway through! Al runs over to catch a screaming Heather by the wrists, who had accidentally dropped the map and big flashlight while falling.

"I knew you still cared!" she teases, revealing that the blue moon wasn't truly affecting her at all.

"This is why you don't cross rope bridges. Have neither of you seen how those things collapse in movies?" the goth asks them.

Both then snap "Shut up Gwen!" simultaneously as Alejandro pulls her out of the hole those snapped floorboards left, and he somehow carries her bridal style across the bridge without any other slips.

Yeah, that's much closer to something she would generally say to Gwen, who seems quite surprised that they didn't slip again. I'm sure Heather deep down also loves being carried across like that by the guy she not-so-secretly likes. It reminds me of that wedding challenge we had at the season 3 merge where the contestants were paired up for the day as a bride-and-groom. The grooms during one part had to carry their brides across a tightrope. She obviously loved the experience (based on her smile shown when re-watching that episode) and I was highly jealous of her that day as I was in love with Alejandro at that point, wanting to be paired with him instead of my ex. While I know I said before that he mostly would've been a rebound if we ever became a couple when I was heartbroken over Duncan cheating, I at the same time really wanted to be Al's girlfriend back then. During season 4, I of course found out thanks to Leshawna how Burromuerto had been shamelessly toying with me, which made me lose all interest in him and I've despised the bastard ever since. There obviously is no jealousy now over how he wants Heather.

Getting back to the game, Scott then asks me "What if we held your rope while crossing over in case anything else breaks on the way across?"

Not sure why I didn't think of that, but it sounds like a fine plan. I nod in agreement and give both him and Gwen some rope. The goth hesitates. After I insist "Chances are we'll lose if you don't, especially when I can't seem to find a good place to tie this to for swinging.", she shrugs her shoulders and accepts.

We cross slowly with Scott in the lead, me in the middle, and Gwen in the back. Being cautious to avoid the hole Heather made, the three of us safely reach the other end. No slipping up! Gwen relents "I guess not every rope bridge is as bad as I thought." while handing me the rope.

"Good thinking, Scott." I compliment the ginger as he hands back his part of the rope.

"It was nothing" he boasts, "I simply-"

He then gets interrupted by an angry beaver chomping his ass! Scott yelps in pain, proclaiming "My butt is not a chew toy!" while he runs around, probably thinking it'll help release the thing from him.

I yank the beaver off and tell it "Chomp this, freak!" while holding the thing over bridge ropes just like when first living through the challenge, but now do this to both as one was already done during the original timeline before I reached this end of the bridge.

The bridge predictably falls and hits the cliff wall on the other side. No easy cross for the Hamsters!

"Now the other team can't use the bridge. Brilliant plan, Courtney!" Alejandro compliments me.

"That's obviously why I did it." I brag and toss the beaver over the cliff as we continue.

Us Vultures abandon the rope and keep running for at least twenty more minutes until we see Chris. It sucks we don't have the map anymore. Our host then greets "Welcome to the finish line, villains. It looks like you'll easily win tonight!" as we approach the finish line exhausted.

Just when I thought we had this in the bag, an angry deer shows up. Seriously!? It growls at me and Gwen. Last time it just went after me until the goth saved me by shoving a stick into the deer's mouth until that snapped and it pounced upon both of us (shocking how that alone didn't get her placed on team hero, but Chris was probably getting too much joy from torturing her with team villain status to change that). Even though I still had a grudge against her at the time and didn't feel ready to be friends again, I was touched Gwen saved me like that and realized right then and there how serious she was about wanting to make amends. Both of us slowly back away, not wanting to be deer food. The evil thing unfortunately pounces upon Gwen and me again while growling.

Next thing we know, the deer gets hit with a rock. I turn to see Scott with another rock in one hand and a big stick in the other. He saved us! The ginger throws his other rock at the deer's nose as it approaches him. Unfortunately, the Hamsters have somehow caught up by now and are approaching the finish line. Scott is about to knock out the deer when the moon turns back to normal, making the deer harmless again, and it hops away.

Alejandro and Heather have already crossed the line by this point. He calls from up ahead "The moon curse is over, hurry!" only for her to snap "They know it's over; they don't need you to narrate, Bl-Alejandro."

Our ginger then throws his stick at Cameron's face to slow him down (probably because he was closest within range) and bubble boy falls to the ground. His glasses are now broken, and he struggles to find the finish line while all his teammates have already reached that. Scott helps me up and then Gwen as I hear Mike wonder aloud "How did I get here?" as he temporarily pauses when the blue moon is completely gone.

I'll be damned; it looks like he just turned back into himself. Did the blue moon affect him for real unlike Heather? Hopefully Mal didn't cause too much damage while in control and out of my sight.

"Mike, Cam, hurry!" Zoey calls from ahead of the finish line after she, Lindsay, and Sam cross it.

"Oh, right, come on Cam!" Mike tells Cameron, who says "Just go ahead now; I can make it by myself. I insist!" before his buddy can run back to help.

Us three Vultures take our chance to win and cross that finish line, though the goth looks concerned for Mr. Wilkins. Scott crosses the line followed by Mike, then me, and Gwen is our last team member to cross, beating Cameron by several seconds. Chris then tells everybody "And the villains win, again.", prompting the Vultures (including me) to cheer for victory and the Hamsters to groan over their loss.

Sam then pulls out an extra pair of glasses from his pocket and offers them to Cameron, stating "Even if they're not your prescription, these should help until your normal ones get fixed."

Bubble boy is grateful for the gesture, telling him "Thanks for that and helping us around the cliff when that bridge was down." as he picks up the pieces of his broken glasses and rejoins the Hamsters.

"Not a problem. Something us gamers don't get enough credit for in the outdoors is navigation. While playing _Minecraft_ , I often had to walk my way around big gaps to avoid losing health, which I guess really came in handy here." the gaming nut replies as everybody leaves for the elimination ceremony.

Everybody, that is, except for Scott and me. He needs something that Chris and the others won't see or hear. I hold the ginger back for a personal moment. When it's just the two of us, I say "Chris might have placed us both on team villain, but now that we're alone I need to say thanks for your heroic rescue earlier, even if he finds you sabotaging Cameron shortly afterwards evil enough to cancel that out. Not letting our host make fun of you now for it." while hugging him.

He replies with "My pleasure. I knew I couldn't let you-" and gets interrupted by me giving him a quick peck on the lips, then freezing with the same look of shock on his face that he had when we first kissed in the original timeline.

"Let me get eaten?" I guess the ending of his sentence as he silently nods and then I continue with "Glad you don't want me to be deer food. It means more than you know, so I figured you could use some sort of reward for that. It's the type best saved for private moments. Now that we have an elimination ceremony to attend, let's focus on getting there on time."

Man does it feel good to let out more physical affection! I don't know how much longer I could've kept that in. All I knew is that I had to be alone with Scott for that to start up and to begin with something small. Further kissing will follow in the future when we have time to ourselves. On another note, since I know I was his first kiss and how much he likes me, the guy must be stoked on the inside right now. Completely understandable of him. We're not officially a couple just yet, but there's no doubt he sooner or later will ask me out, and only then will we get together as I don't trust myself enough to pop the question without timing it too early. Scott on the other hand bringing this matter up will help assure me we didn't move too quickly.

The two of us walk to the elimination ceremony, and he clearly got the hint to (at least for now) keep our kiss a secret from the other contestants. I see him at one point go over to the confessional, probably to unleash his excitement while he has the chance to get it out of his system without spilling anything to the wrong people, so I let him have his own moment as I head off. Heather probably would give us shit for that if she found out. I raise a fist in triumph and whisper "Score for the kiss!" so my own excitement doesn't get the better of me in front of others.

When Scott and I arrive at the ceremony, we take seats in the peanut gallery's back row as Heather, Alejandro, and Gwen have filled out its front row. All the Hamsters then arrive. Ms. Goth doesn't express dismay about her team placement right now even though I know she deep down wants to be on the heroes' team. It's where she belongs, but as Chris made clear before, complaining won't get her off the villains' team. Gwen does on the plus side have a friend (me) on her team. Things otherwise would probably be miserable for the goth like I'm sure it was in the original timeline when I hadn't yet made up with her.

Come to think of it, the goth is now the only Vulture competing who didn't serve as the antagonist of any previous Total Drama season. It kind of makes her the odd one out in a sense. First there was Heather in Total Drama Island. Next there was me in Total Drama Action after I entered the competition mid-season through a lawsuit. Then there was Alejandro in Total Drama World Tour. Most recently, there was Scott in Total Drama: Revenge of the Island.

All four of the show's prior villains (including me) toned the bad antics down afterwards without entirely losing our mean sides, though I really would like to shed my past reputation for being a bitch, and it's been challenging to do so. This season's baddie is of course Mal, which in a way makes his team hero placement ironic, but then makes more sense when considering how nobody knew in the beginning about Mike's suppressed evil persona that he thought he had gotten rid of before. The real Mike is one of the nicest guys in Total Drama history and truly a hero for somehow conquering him during the original timeline.

"OK peeps. Each if you is a loser in your own right, but the villains won the challenge, so they've earned themselves another night of luxurious luxury at my spa hotel." McLean tells us.

"I volunteer for exile on Boney Island!" Scott then interjects with one hand raised in the air.

"Sure, I don't care." our host nonchalantly shrugs.

"Good luck out there!" I tell our ginger.

"Thanks babe, now I gotta find that invincibility statue." He replies while Chef's helicopter claw takes him away from Camp and I wave him goodbye as they fly off towards exile.

He called me babe just like before! I remember being sad during my initial run-through and worried for him when he volunteered for Boney Island after this challenge as he was the only teammate then I didn't hate, but don't feel as bad now when I have Gwen as a friend plus already know he'll come out safe. This obviously made me miss him that night as well as when he went to exile following the pancake challenge. By that point, I knew he was into me and was grateful there was at least one person on my team I had no conflicts with. No, I didn't start returning his affections then just yet; that would begin the next challenge when we were egg hunting. What first won me over was realizing how loyally dedicated he was when someone (in this case me) truly mattered to him, plus I also admittedly liked that he was willing to take orders when needed. Scott would of course prove to be a loyal boyfriend once we did get together. As I said before, I won't fuck that up again.

Getting back to the ceremony, Chris continues "OK people, tonight we-" only to get interrupted by bubble boy, who stands up while blurting "Wait!"

"Now what?" an irritated Chris asks.

"I volunteer for the flush of shame!" Wilkins tells him.

"Seriously!?" a bewildered Sam inquires.

"Cameron, why?" a concerned Mike questions.

"Sorry Mike. I'd love to help you with your problem, but I'm the reason we lost tonight in the first place and will probably get voted off anyway, so I thought I'd save you all the trouble and just get it over with." Cameron replies.

"Well isn't this a perfect way to introduce the surprise twist? Today's ejected hero is tomorrow's new villain." Mr. McLean informs us.

"What!?" a shocked bubble boy asks.

"That's right. Instead of flushing Cameron, I'm sending him over to the villains' side!" Chris continues as we all gasp in surprise.

How did I forget about that twist? Probably by thinking so much about all that happened earlier. I then hear an evil laugh. Mal is here again with his distinct appearance! He then quickly brushes his hair up to resemble Mike. Never thought I'd catch that demon once let alone twice in one night imitating the main persona.

"I'll find a way to help you even from the villains' side. I promise!" Mr. Wilkins assures Mal (thinking Mike is in control) and extends one hand for a shake.

Mal shakes hands with him and (in Mike's voice) replies "Gee, thanks pal!" before the bubble boy walks over to join us Vultures and Mal's hair drops back down over one eye.

Too bad I can't call out Mal without him knowing I'm onto him, which won't be good.

Cameron awkwardly tries to greet us with "Uh, hi." and a hand wave.

He surely doesn't feel comfortable with being on team villain. That boy isn't evil by any stretch of the imagination. We then all leave the ceremony, us Vultures plus our newest member towards the hotel, and the Hamsters go to the cabins. My team doesn't bother staying around long enough to hear Chris sign off the episode, which I know is about to happen soon anyway. Cameron then turns to enter the confessional instead of our hotel. He's probably about to complain that he doesn't belong on the villains' team.

Once I enter the hotel, Gwen asks me "What was Boney Island like last night?"

"About as dark and intimidating as it was when we visited in season 1, but I overall came out just fine. It's probably best for the sake of my back that I don't spend another night there. Caves aren't an ideal place to sleep." I inform her.

"I'm sure Scott will have similar complaints if the bears don't get to him first." she teases.

"Don't give me bad mental images like that!" I snap.

"Relax, I was only kidding." the goth assures me. "Chris obviously will make sure he lives as his show otherwise would probably get cancelled or at least sued."

I reply with "Good point. Just please refrain from further jokes about contestants dying there."

"Sorry about that. It was a one-time-only thing." she apologizes.

"Thank you. Now I need to clean up and rest after a very long day." I respond and then turn to get my pajamas, toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss.

Boy did I need cleaning! Good thing the interns already have my belongings in one of the bedrooms. Once I collect my things and bring them into the bathroom, I take a long shower to get off all the filth from exile AND tonight's challenge. That was quite refreshing. After showering, I brush my teeth twice to make up for not having the chance this morning and floss thoroughly before using the toilet. Then I put on my pajamas and exit for the girls' bedroom. Gwen and Heather aren't inside yet, and I really need some rest now. My back is grateful to have quality beds tonight. I crawl into one of them, and silently whisper aloud "Don't get yourself in too much trouble in exile Scott" right before I close my eyes and sleep takes over me.

 **Courtney found her idol again, kissed Scott, and now has Cameron as a new teammate! I already know who gets the next flush, but you'll have to wait until Chapter 9 to find out. Expect that and probably Chapter 10 to be posted sometime during October 2018.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Cameron, Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: September 30, 2018.**


	9. Egg Hunting

**I'll warn you all now: Chapter 9 has something big coming up. You'll see what I'm talking about after more review responses.**

 **ShadowJcreed: Thanks for your praise! I'm honored you find last chapter better than canon. The goth definitely feels better with a friend on her team here than in the original timeline. I do have something in mind for Cameron, part of which is about to follow.**

 **animefan1009: Much appreciated. That's an interesting idea for a twist, but I found the irony of bubble being transferred to team villain too amusing to leave out.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Chef was without any doubt the best one to protect that idol once our CIT recovered it. Her worries about Mal definitely got in the way of things.**

 **GlitchWarrior: In some ways, yes, but you might change your mind after what follows.**

 **That British Guy: Quite simple; Chris would send whoever was voted off from the losing team over to the winners' side. Since Mr. Wilkins volunteered for "elimination" and had no idea what would follow, he got switched over to the Vultures. The boy isn't evil at all, though.**

 **Read on!**

A rest in that hotel bed was well-needed. I'm not putting my back through the agony of sleeping in a cave again, especially when I already found the immunity idol. Hopefully Scott isn't too exhausted when he gets back from Boney Island. We're headed back there either way for today's challenge within the so-called Fun Zone. In the meantime, I'll get dressed and have breakfast before that starts up.

Wait a moment. I almost forgot how my mini flashlight and switchblade are still in the pockets from those pants I wore yesterday and the day before. Gwen and Heather are still asleep right now. When nobody's looking, that blade will have to be returned. I take out the mini flashlight and put it with my other belongings. That switchblade goes into one hand and my clothes for today in the other as I hear Heather moaning in her sleep and mumbling "Keep your dick in my pussy, Alejandro; I want you to finish inside me."

Gross! It was bad enough repeatedly hearing her fuck him (and probably get pregnant with his baby at some point) near my apartment before travelling back in time. They also engaged in lots of dirty talk during such sessions. Now I must hear her having a sex dream with the guy while we compete on TV!? She needs to go ASAP as there's no way can I take hearing more of those! I cringe as I make my way out of the room. Thankfully nobody is in the kitchen yet. Once I place my switchblade in the drawers, I then use the toilet and get changed in the bathroom. I take my pajamas and put them back with my bags afterwards. Everyone else (minus the exiled Scott) has now taken seats at the table to eat.

Joining everybody else at breakfast, I see Cameron groaning as he struggles to fix his glasses. This time I don't evilly taunt him about how he'll be gone before those can get fixed. That was completely unwarranted on my part when I first lived through the season. I also don't conspire to eliminate him unlike before where I felt some supposed "newbie target" was on him instead of me after I transferred to the Vultures. What does happen again, though, is Gwen helping him out. She suggests "Here; maybe a twist-tie would help" and hands him one.

I add "Worth a try." as I grab a waffle and some bacon.

The bubble boy successfully ties them together with the twist-tie, gratefully affirming "It worked, thanks!" as he puts on the newly-fixed glasses.

After Ms. Goth tells him "The villains' team isn't entirely made up of evil people.", Heather taunts "You look nerdier than before! I know it sounds impossible, but here you are doing it, so-"

Alejandro interjects with "Heather, please; I think that he pulls off a nerdy look with a generous measure of dignified flair." before I can say anything.

"It's half made up of evil people." Gwen tells him as they walk away.

Wait, she said HALF instead of MOSTLY this time! Obviously becoming friends with me changed things up. It's understandable why the goth would deem Scott evil when she doesn't know him as well as I do, and I don't deny he did bad things in season 4, but it's not like they were any worse than my past evil actions. I also know he's become much kinder since getting voted off. The guy surely learned his lessons after playing baddie and so did I even if we never entirely lost our mean streaks.

I overhear Heather sulk to Al "Great, they've already bonded." and see her offer him a handshake after proposing "I hate to say it, but maybe we should form a temporary alliance to avoid being voted off. Allies?"

"Agreed." he affirms and kisses her hand.

She fakes being disgusted by adding "Ugh, gross!" while pulling her hand away from him as I snicker in amusement and sit at the table.

I know both are secretly planning to eliminate each other once they have the chance. No objections to either of them going home next if we lose today. Can't let them know I'm onto their plans now, though.

"What's so funny?" he asks.

I tell him "The way she pretends not to like that hand kiss." with a mouthful of waffle.

"I most certainly did NOT like it!" Heather insists, though her blush gives away how she's lying.

"Yeah and I'm the Queen of England." I sarcastically quip after swallowing. "Any other obvious lies you'd like to tell, Ms. Blusher?"

"Just fuck off!" she barks and storms off with her cheeks still red.

"I'll take that as a no." I add and then resume eating.

"Blushing does give away how she really feels." Al comments. "In the meantime, we have another challenge to win."

"Quite true." I affirm, and then he leaves, presumably to join his target for elimination.

Once I finish my breakfast, I brush and floss my teeth before heading outside. Something I just remembered is that Gwen will befriend Cameron today as she sympathizes with how he feels out of place on team villain. Perhaps I could do the same and we could all vote together. A loud horn can then be heard.

"Get your butts to the dock, campers! It's challenge time!" Chris announces through a speakerphone.

We all head for the docks. Once all the contestants have gathered there along with our host, he announces "Welcome all! Today's challenge involves a trip to the FUN ZONE!" and then chuckles before blowing a little party horn.

Lindsay cheers "I like the sound of fun!" with both fists raised in the air as some intern off-camera drops confetti over us, though in all fairness, no contestant except me knows what the so-called Fun Zone really is.

"What's the catch?" a suspicious Heather inquires. "Is the 'Fun Zone' just a building that's on fire?"

"No." McLean answers.

"Does it have a time twisting machine like the one from _Crash Bandicoot: Warped_ where we must gather crystals scattered across time?" asks Sam.

Funny how you mention the idea of time twisting.

"Would that be fun?" our host questions.

"Obviously it would!" the gamer insists.

I fully expected him to say so.

McLean continues with "You've had it kind of rough lately, so I figured—OK the lawyers figured—you deserve a treat, but if you'd rather do something else-"

We all interrupt him with "No!", and I only join that protest to avoid raising eyebrows.

"Fun Zone it is!" Chris replies as he walks to the end of the dock, and continues with "Ooh, here's our ride!" as Chef's boat returns Scott, who's filthy and slouching with exhaustion.

"I'm back from exile." the ginger tells us and tries to step off the boat only for our host to push him back in.

"All aboard!" McLean tells us, and we get in the boat.

Hatchet then starts it up and we arrive at the docks within five minutes. I help clean off Scott's filth along the way. Lindsay asks the host "Fun Zone, here on Boney Island, really?" in disbelief once we reach the docks.

"Yep! It works better as a surprise that way." he responds, and then everyone except Chef gets off the boat to follow him towards its entrance.

Heather on our way over groans and complains "I'd forgotten what a dump this island is!"

"Come on now. Maybe someone will finally find the invincibility statue." He quips.

Our cook evidently hasn't yet told his boss how I found that.

"I searched all night." Scott informs him. "There is no statue, say it!"

Someone clearly didn't look past the broken windows and carvings on a big door.

"Yes, there is, but it's hidden IN the Fun Zone and whoever finds it gets to keep it!" the host retorts.

As I expected, this prompts cheers from the others. I join them in cheering to avoid suspicion. Thank you, Chef Hatchet, for not spilling the beans to anybody. Once we arrive at the entrance, Chris states "Welcome to the outside of the fabulous Fun Zone! Patent pending. It's obvious Duncan visited this door during his exile time given the smashed windows and carving of his initials. Wonder if he got inside. Those need to be fixed either way." and pulls out a switch to activate the door, continuing with "Alright, let's move it people!" and pressing the door as he instructs "Keep a steady pace! Chef, please get some tape for the windows"

Every contestant including me then walks inside before the door slams shut. We all turn around to its sound. Now that I think about it, even Cameron would probably get stuck trying to climb through these broken windows. As Chef Hatchet covers all the window frames with duct tape, the giant TV monitor then turns on and shows us our host's face. McLean informs us "You are now in the Fun Zone aka the most dangerous place you've ever been! Your challenge is easy; put eggs in a basket."

Said baskets can be found close by the door. A red one for the Vultures and a gold one for the Hamsters. As the monitor changes its image to show silhouettes of mutant creatures, Chris tells everyone "Eggs found here in the Fun Zone belong to all the terrifying mutants from season 4, who will try to smash your bodies and eat you."

"What is 'fun' about that!?" Mike asks, clearly back to his normal self now.

"Um, it's fun to watch." Chris replies.

Alejandro then inquires "All we have to do is collect the eggs?"

"You'll be fine." the host assures him. "They're just wild mutated beasts trying to protect their unborn babies. How bad can it get?"

The monitor then shows a basket. Our host adds "First team with six in their basket wins." as the shown basket fills with said number of eggs.

"What about eggs that hatch?" Sam questions.

"As long as you keep whatever hatches in your basket, it counts, and as a special bonus whoever collects the most eggs for the winning team gets a special reward!" McLean answers. "So, excited, huh?"

I then hear Scott snoring as he sleeps while standing up, and turn to ask him "Did you catch all of that?"

He apparently didn't hear me and continues snoring. An irritated Chris then takes a megaphone and angrily shouts "Scott!" into it to wake up our sleepyhead.

That woke him up! He then screams at the loud noise and groans in pain as the soundwave knocks him onto his back. I rush over to help the ginger get back on his feet. Scott gratefully replies "Thanks, Court." and I tell him. "Not a problem!"

Our host then continues with "The red basket belongs to the villains. The gold one's for the do-gooders. I'd wish you all good luck, but it's bad for ratings, so I hope some of you get really hurt." before blowing an air horn to start the challenge and telling us "Begin!" as we go to collect eggs.

"This reminds me of how many levels in _Spyro: Year of the Dragon_ have six eggs you must find to fully complete them." says Sam while running off.

I search around for any eggs nearby for about five minutes, having no luck, and then hear snoring. Scott is asleep again! Just like when first living through the season, I see him leaning against a tree as he sleeps. Even if he's exhausted, he needs to help with the challenge now. I nudge him awake and say "Scott, we need to-"

He then suddenly awakens and growls while shaking his fists around in some sort of self-defense. I cower to avoid getting hit and then say "No, it's me; stop!" as I grab his torso from behind, adding "Come on; let's find some eggs".

That thankfully calmed him down just as well now as it did in my first run-through. I just remembered now that Mike and Zoey won big for their team during this challenge last time with a giant nest containing some sort of mutant bird eggs. We need to get that before they do. Scott follows me as we make our way through Fun Zone, though he doesn't know where specifically I'm leading him (can't give that away for obvious reasons). Along the way, I see Alejandro throw a rock at one egg on a ledge to get it down, and he's about to collect it when Heather sneaks up and snatches it. She makes a pun with "Eggs-elent work, Alejandro" and he scowls at her before they go over to our team basket, which can be seen out in the distance.

"I wish I reached that spot first!" Scott complains.

"As do I, but it's still a score for our team." I admit.

Within the next minute, a trumpet sound plays as Chris can be heard announcing on the speakerphone "First egg goes to the Vultures!" and I cheer along with Scott before the host adds "You better get your butts in gear, Hamsters!"

While Heather goes off to find more eggs, Al stays back to ask McLean "Hang on, what's to stop the other team from taking eggs from our basket?"

"Integrity?" the host answers with uncertainty as I see the future Mrs. Burromuerto turn back towards the baskets and add "So nothing." only to get "I didn't make it a rule that they can't, so I guess they can." from Chris in response.

She then instructs Alejandro "You stay; guard the next" and heads off to resume the egg hunt and he affirms "You're the boss" before muttering under his breath, which I know from re-watching this episode is him secretly saying "for now" as he plans to eliminate her.

"Maybe I should guard the eggs instead." Scott suggests with a yawn, which he also did off-camera in the original timeline.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out he plans to sleep instead of hunting for eggs. Can't blame him for wanting to catch up on rest, but that must wait. I then give him the same response as I did when initially living through All-Stars, which was "Nice try. We both know you'll probably fall asleep unsupervised. Chances are the others will vote you off if you fail to protect our collections and we lose."

"No way would that happen!" he insists.

"Don't lie; your yawn indicates otherwise." I reply.

"OK fine, you got me." the ginger relents.

As we make our way through the island, I hear loud footsteps and turn to see Zoey carrying a flower. It's not just any flower. This one belongs to Larry the mutant Venus Fly trap, who's chasing her now and roaring. That plant is very protective of this flower and will attack anybody who tries to take it away. Oh right; she and Mike are using that as a distraction to gather some giant Venus Fly trap egg. Ms. Pigtails then sees a flying three-eyed moose (maybe the same one I saw when searching for the immunity idol) and throws the flower at its face, getting lodged in the nose.

The moose makes some odd noise and has a scared look on its face as Larry grabs it with one tentacle and pulls the flying thing in. That fly trap quickly eats the moose without spitting anything out. At least there's no gore, blood, or bones. The pigtail sighs "Phew!" in relief as she continues to run while Mike follows her with the big egg and calls out "Sorry again!", reminding me of how she also apologized to Larry for taking that flower.

Before I can stop Scott, he runs over to snatch that egg from the multi-personality teen, and the two engage in tug-of-war for it.

"We found it first!" Mike barks at him after two or three minutes.

"Chris never said we couldn't take these away from others before reaching the baskets." the ginger retorts.

"Just go find your own!" Zoey orders.

"Why don't you?" I question.

"MY EGG!" both guys yell angrily at each other simultaneously.

It then starts rumbling.

"Uh-oh!" the egg holders state at the same time right before it bursts open.

Mike and Scott both get splattered with some slimy goop all over their faces, arms, and chests. Six little fly traps that hatched from the egg then walk around. One of them has a face resembling McLean. Did our host seriously impregnate a giant Venus flytrap (and I now remember Zoey observing Larry could be female, referring to that plant as potentially "Laurie", which could easily be true unless Larry is guarding some female fly trap's egg)!? That's totally disgusting and illegal! Perhaps it was also one of the reasons he got arrested at the end of season 4 unless he somehow snuck out of jail in between seasons.

The four of us stare at that Chris-like plant for a bit with wide eyes. Mike wipes off the goop from his face and arms as he walks away with Zoey. Scott also cleans himself, though unlike him takes off his filthy tank top to wipe off the goop (I'm guessing Mike didn't want to risk turning into Vito as that happened whenever he was shirtless before that shovel hit in the head). It gave me the chance to see his chest and I involuntarily blush a little at the sight. While he might not have a visible six pack or be as muscular as guys like Brick or Lightning, I like what he has underneath that top and there definitely is more toned muscle than last season (but only noticeable when he's shirtless). Maybe Scott helped himself get somewhat more fit in between seasons while healing from Fang's attack.

Another trumpet sound gets played. Who got another egg now? Our host tells us "And the score is 1-all!", meaning Lindsay or Sam found something and probably started guarding the Hamster basket from Alejandro.

That gets me re-focused on the game and we start looking for eggs of our own. OK, I admit I was checking out Scott shirtless for a bit. Even if he isn't the type of guy that attracts many girls with his looks alone, I do like how he has freckles (like me) as well as slicked back hair, eyes with a shade of blue reminding me of fun swimming lakes I visited during family vacations growing up, and decent muscle. Looks however aren't everything to me or my basis for choosing a partner. I once called him cute "in a sloppy rustic sort of way like a shack with nice curtains or a donkey wearing a wig" in a confessional when first living through the night race challenge. It was when I acknowledged he had a certain charm to him that I liked even though I didn't yet see him as potential boyfriend material.

The day I started liking him back as more than an ally/friend was here during the egg hunt challenge. As I said before, what first attracted me to Scott was realizing his sense of loyal dedication to those who matter to him (which back then meant me). Him willing to take orders as needed was a nice bonus. While he hasn't said aloud what exactly he likes about my physical appearance, he did call me "pretty" before and evidently likes my ass based on how he stared at that on our first day competing together. He said I was that both in the original timeline (with "you're pretty when you're mad" and staring at my face when I chastised him for making our pancake challenge harder) and in this one (when saying I was "pretty AND smart" in the confessional when admitting he liked being on the same team as me, making it clear he also likes my brains). I'm guessing he additionally likes some part of my face based on the way he's stared at it as well as probably my boobs because I caught him glancing there more than once when I first lived through the season.

Out from the swamp, Scott and I see a giant mutant alligator with tentacles. We run without hesitation and hide behind a rock. That thing killing us would be a terrible way to die! Thankfully we don't get spotted, though wait until it's gone before leaving the rock. Heather then runs up towards us, panting a bit. "Glad I found you." she says and catches her breath before continuing. "Alejandro's convincing everyone to vote for Scott at the next elimination."

That reminds me of how she's lying in some campaign to oust Al. Even though they like each other, both still have a competitive streak and are determined to outrank one another.

"Why would he do that?" I ask in disbelief.

"Probably sees him as a threat. Don't worry; my vote's for Alejandro." Heather replies while running off.

Once she's gone, I tell Scott "I don't buy her story for a moment. We need to give Heather the boot next chance we get. After already putting up with general shit for three previous seasons, I've frankly had enough. Gwen probably feels the same way and it'll be easier to secure her vote for that than for anyone else."

"I'd rather vote for bubble boy. That guy has no place on our team and now I have the chance to get back at him for when he and Zoey voted me off last season." he tells me.

I respond with "He can vote with us, plus she's a bigger threat. Please spare Cameron for now even though I know the two of you have past issues."

"Are you certain he won't just bail out of any proposal?" he skeptically asks.

"No doubt about it." I assure him.

Mr. Wilkins is one of the people Scott had a major conflict with in Revenge of the Island. He, Mike, and Zoey hated the ginger's guts for his deceitful nature and evil actions, especially after he eliminated the multi-personality teen. While Scott has of course toned down his mean streak, he certainly hasn't made up with any of them. That probably won't change anytime soon. Right now, all I want is for Scott and Cameron to agree on voting for the same person at our next elimination ceremony. They both agreed to vote for Al during the original timeline when us Vultures lost this challenge, so I don't see any good reason why that would be different now should we lose again. Don't get me wrong here as I still hate Alejandro and want him gone too, but I only had to deal with his antics for one previous season where Heather competed on three other seasons with me, plus the girls' cabin will be a more pleasant visit without her around.

Another trumpet horn sound gets played as Chris informs everyone "That's two eggs for the heroes!"

Uh-oh! Better catch up. No way will we stay behind if I can help it! The two of us search around for a while. I know I've lived through this before, but it's still shocking how many mutant creatures are around us! At one point, I tell Scott "I don't know how you guys put up with a whole season of these weird monsters."

He boasts "Hey, whatever doesn't horribly maim and devour you only makes you stronger." while flexing one of his biceps and instructs "Stay close. I got your back." before grabbing my hand with his other arm.

I distinctly remember how we briefly held hands in this challenge the first time. Back then I played coy and blushed a bit (though the cameras for some reason didn't show my cheeks going red). He would then try to apologize only to get interrupted by a giant gopher attacking him. The truth is I really liked that moment. We both did. Thankfully no gopher is around this time as we're in a different area now. Scott and I hold hands for longer than before today without releasing. He then nervously adds "Uh sorry, I-I, uh, hope you don't mind me doing that."

"Not at all." I answer.

Sure, that's a sign I reciprocate Scott's affections, but that's fine with me. It's only the two of us around and he was going to learn sooner or later how I felt anyway.

"Th-There's something I feel I should say." the ginger anxiously tells me as he lets go of my hand.

I already have a sense of what that is. He's ready to ask me out and even has the same nervous facial expression that he did when popping that question in the original timeline! As much as I would love to get together right here and now, our main priority at this moment is defeating the Hamsters.

After a brief pause, I hide my excitement and respond with "If it isn't related to the challenge or who to vote off, then it unfortunately has to wait. I'll be all ears after the elimination ceremony ends. Regardless of which team is wins, I PROMISE you neither of us will take tonight's flush of shame. Gwen will vote with us if we lose and I'm sure one of us could secure Cameron's vote to ensure our safety. I watched last season and know that after once getting immunity, he was able to spare you for a moment to join Lightning in voting off Jo when she pushed them both too far, so he can do that again here."

"Fair point. I almost forgot about that day." Scott admits.

We then hear a faint roaring somewhere far off. Maybe it was that giant mutant chicken catching Mike and Zoey trying to take her egg. In any case, the trumpet plays again a couple minutes later as Chris tells everyone "And the villains are up 4-2!"

That was a well-needed boost! Scott and I fist-bump upon hearing that announcement. Next thing we know, that giant nest with mutant bird eggs is up ahead. Jackpot! We take the nest with us and head back to our basket. On the way back, I hear Zoey talking to Mike in the distance.

"So, if getting hit in the head made you lose contact with your other personalities, would another hit in the head bring them back?" she asks her boyfriend.

OH FUCK! This was the episode Multiple Mike dropped that giant boulder on his head, thinking it would restore how he was before the shovel hit, but inadvertently makes things worse as Mal then takes much more control. I need to stop him from doing that after the challenge. One thought I previously came up with was simply using another shovel instead.

"Like a reset button! Worth a try." he responds before Scott and I are out of hearing range.

Something I know from re-watching the episode is that Zoey can't bring herself to hit him, but maybe the smaller rock Mike suggested using would've had less damage than the boulder. There either way is nothing I can do about that before the challenge ends without raising eyebrows. In the meantime, Scott and I have a victory to secure. The two of us run as fast as we can without spilling anything.

"The score is still 4-2 villains, but I see a lot of eggs approaching! It's gonna be a close one!" Chris announces while we head for our basket.

I then hear Lindsay screaming. Some mutant was probably chasing her. She bumps into me while running, making me fall back and drop the nest. Come on! Most of those eggs have unfortunately broken as a result. The blonde has apparently taken one of the three intact eggs with her before I could get up. Scott then helps me up and we each grab a giant egg and run for our basket.

McLean then informs us "It's now that 4-3! Can the heroes win after all?" right after the trumpet is played yet again one minute later.

They better not get ahead of us like that! Lindsay is now guarding the Hamsters' basket when I approach it while Cameron is guarding the one for the Vultures. Scott then somehow trips and drops his egg, which breaks upon landing. Dammit! He insists "Go score while you can." and I take my egg to our basket.

I place it in the basket without hesitation and run back for more eggs as the trumpet plays again and Chris adds "Make that 5-3 for the villains!"

Scott joins me as we go to find more eggs. It takes some searching, but we still have a chance to win. I then spot one in a tree after ten minutes or so. That unfortunately is out of reach. We keep walking. After about five minutes, a giant mutant gopher pops up from under the ground! At least it's too far away to grab Scott this time. Even so, I grab a big stick nearby to whack it away. One swift smack thankfully is enough to make that retreat into its hole. One of its mutant gopher eggs pops up as the thing digs its way back underground.

"Yes! Weirdo gopher egg! Come on!" I proclaim as I grab the thing.

The ginger doesn't need to be told twice to follow me as we run back. Just as the basket is in sight, Sam and Mike show up from the side with eggs of their own! Zoey has also apparently traded places with Lindsay for guarding. That trumpet plays again as Mike places his one egg in the basket and Sam then secures their victory by adding two more to their collection before I can reach our own. So close and yet so far! I drop the egg as there's no longer any point in bringing that over.

"6-5, the heroes win!" Chris announces as if it wasn't already obvious while everyone gathers near the baskets.

The Hamsters cheer for their win as us Vultures look down towards the ground in defeat. McLean doesn't ask if anybody wants to collect belongings this time since Heather didn't find and stash away the immunity idol. That giant door then promptly pulls up instead and Chef escorts us all to the boat. Our host calls out "All aboard!" as we enter it.

Once the cook starts that boat up again, we get to the docks in roughly five minutes. I hold back Mr. Wilkins and the goth as the other Vultures go to the cabins and the Hamsters head for the hotel. Time to secure tonight's flushing.

"Gwen, do you remember how we once made a pact in season 3 to vote off a certain somebody only for that to backfire when Chris told us it was a reward challenge when we lost?" I question. "It seems like a good opportunity to try that again tonight."

"You mean give Heather the ax? She assured me her vote was for Alejandro even though he was convincing you and Scott to vote off Cameron." she replies.

I then add "That deceitful bitch said the same thing to me about getting Scott out. I didn't believe her for a moment. Let's boot her off while we can. It'll show she's not as clever as she thinks."

"Deal." the goth affirms with a smile and shakes my hand as bubble boy states "Count me in!"

Assuming Scott doesn't vote for anyone else, we should be good. I know Cameron has at least watched the third season before joining, so he knows how evil both Al and Heather can be even if less nasty now than before, but those two might be able to more easily manipulate Scott when he probably hasn't watched the show much (if ever) before competing himself. While Wilkins also surely knows how mean I got then, he thankfully seems to have noticed that I'm nicer these days. We'll at worst go through a tie-breaker. I then part ways with bubble boy and Gwen.

To pass time before the elimination ceremony, I take a walk around the island. What I see after about half an hour scares me. Mike is carrying a giant boulder with him to the confessional outhouse. Mal will show up more often if that gets dropped on his head! I call out "Don't hurt yourself with that thing!" as I get closer, and he thankfully stops to drop that boulder.

"After losing contact with my alternate personalities following a shovel hit to the head, Zoey and I thought maybe getting hit in the head again could work like a reset button and bring them back, so I chose to use this." Mr. Multiple Personalities tells me.

If I can stop Mal from causing as much damage as he did in the original timeline, then I know I'll be a hero (or at least get closer to being one) regardless of team placements. However, I probably won't get switched onto the Hamsters either way when the cameras aren't recording this ordeal, but that doesn't really matter now.

"That seems rather dangerous. A boulder of such size will surely harm you much more than that shovel. Did you think maybe using a shovel specifically might work better?" I inquire.

"Never occurred to me." He answers while shrugging his shoulders.

By some coincidence, I see an intern dropping a shovel near that outhouse. I then go over to pick it up as Mike follows me. He instructs "Do it!" while leaning his head closer to me and the shovel.

"I want you to know I'm sorry in advance for the pain this inflicts." I tell him.

"Consider yourself forgiven. I have to protect Zoey at all costs and can't think of any better way when I feel something has been wrong with me ever since losing Vito, Chester, Manitoba, and Svetlana." the multi-personality teen says.

That "something" is obviously his inner demon. Here's hoping my plan works. Zoey then unexpectedly shows up and asks me "Are you testing out the theory I shared with Mike about how he could get his alternate personalities back with another hit to the head?"

"Yes, and here we go." I confirm before hesitantly whacking him the back of the head with the shovel.

He's knocked out cold much like that day on the beach where we searched for sculpture pieces. I really feel bad for the guy. Wait a moment. I just remembered how Mal quickly came up after that boulder hit while Mike is still passed out. That means he won't wreak as much (if any) havoc now! I feel quite relieved at that thought.

"Let's take him back to the hotel. He could use some rest." The pigtailed girl tells me after a minute or two.

Both of us pick up Mike's body and carry him there. We place him on one of the beds in the boys' bedroom. She tells me "I'll keep a watch on him. You should leave before anybody catches you here."

I nod my head understandingly and exit. While I'm not supposed to be in the hotel tonight when my team lost, this was an instance I simply had to enter it even if only for a limited time. The pigtailed girl couldn't have carried him here all by herself. Once out of the hotel, I go to find Chef to collect my immunity idol as we agreed I would when I lost a challenge.

The first place I choose to look is the kitchen I visited for meals during season one. Where else could he be? When I enter the building, he's nowhere to be found. That surprises me. Just as I'm about to leave, he then enters. I then ask him "I was just coming to find you for my immunity idol, so do you still have it at the ready?"

Hatchet nods and pulls the idol out from his pocket. He says "If you don't end up using it tonight, then bring it back to me again for safekeeping. We'll keep repeating this process unless you get the majority vote and save yourself with that thing."

I take the idol with one hand and give him a handshake with the other, affirming "Deal, and you have my gratitude for not telling Chris or anybody else about my finding."

"Not a problem." he replies as I exit and put the idol in my pocket.

Even though I'm certain I won't get the most votes tonight, I can't say that to Chef or any other people. It'll be too suspicious. To pass the time, I decide to walk around Camp Wawanakwa. It takes me roughly two or three hours, and the sun starts setting once I reach the girls' cabin. Heather is inside. Gwen on the other hand cannot be seen. I go in to get my law book from my bags and then take that outside to read until it's time for the elimination ceremony.

Gwen shows up after it gets dark, telling Heather and me "Time to go vote.", so the three of us make our way to the ceremony.

Cameron, Scott, and Alejandro join us not long afterwards. I stay towards the back of the group to keep anybody from seeing the idol in my pocket. Not a risk that I'm willing to take right now. Before long, we all arrive and see the Hamsters have already been seated in the peanut gallery.

"Congrats on the victory, heroes. Sam, since you got the most eggs into your team's basket today with three, you win a special prize that'll come in handy at the next challenge." Chris announces after us Vultures settle into the losers' seats.

Never thought he'd have the biggest score among today's collections. I've underestimated what Sam's capable of.

"Score!" the gamer cheers. "Please do tell what it is."

"Sorry, but I'm keeping it a secret until then. I mean, why spoil the surprise? Tonight, a villain goes home. Time to vote!" the host adds.

We vote tonight in alphabetical order of first names. That means Alejandro kicks things off. Cameron goes next. I'm up third and waste no time in making a big X over a portrait of Heather's face once it's my turn to enter the confessional and vote. To add some comedic effect, I draw devil horns on her head before signing my name on the back. Gwen follows me once I finish. Heather is up afterwards and then Scott is the last one to vote. The Vultures all gather around and wait for Chris to count everybody's choice for flushing.

"I've tallied the votes and tonight's flushee is…

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Heather!"

"Halleluiah!" Lindsay proclaims with joy.

I then see a look of sadness on Heather's face, who dramatically shouts "NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" in dismay while dropping to her knees because of her elimination.

My plan worked! Sorry Al, but you don't get to orchestrate her elimination tonight even if you did take part in it. You also shouldn't expect to last in the game for much longer without her.

"Somebody's attempts at trickery didn't work this time." Gwen taunts.

Heather scowls and gives her the middle finger.

"Would anybody care to elaborate on this trickery?" Alejandro inquires.

"She lied when telling me you were ganging people up on Scott, plus tried to convince Gwen you were doing that to Cameron. The only possible truth was insisting that she'd vote for you tonight." I answer and then turn to tonight's loser, stating "Heather, if you really just wanted us all to vote for Alejandro so badly, then you should've just said so. You aren't as clever as you seem to think."

"I can confirm she did in fact vote for Al." Chris pipes in. "It was tonight's only vote that wasn't for her."

"Pathetic. No surprise she'd try to backstab me." Burromuerto quips.

"You just did the same to me, you hypocrite!" she snaps back.

"That doesn't matter." McLean tells her before asking the Hamsters "Now, who's heading to Boney Island?"

I turn to see Mike get up and volunteer "I'll go!", whistling a sample of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" as he makes his way to Chef's boat.

Hold on, that's the tune Mal whistles! Things don't seem to have gone as well as I had hoped. That demon still is among us even if to a lesser extent than when I first lived through the season. Chris then takes a plate of marshmallows out, telling the remaining Vultures "Marshmallows for the rest of the villains." and he tosses them to Cameron, Scott, Gwen, and me in that order before giving the final one to Alejandro.

He did the same thing when I first lived through the season, and it for some reason was edited out of the episode. Our host takes a sad Heather down to the giant toilet afterwards and Al follows. I know in the original timeline Burromuerto mocks her loss and then tries to get flirtatious by telling her "We are a perfect couple" before she angrily pushes him into the lake and is flushed away. Chris will then sign off the episode. Chances are the same will happen here again.

As the contestants leave the elimination ceremony, Zoey holds me back. I have a good idea why. She whispers to me "Can we talk in private?" and has a very worried look on her face.

This cannot be good.

 **That's right; I'm ending the chapter on a cliffhanger (evil laughter)! Find out in Chapter 10 what Zoey will share with our time-traveler.**

 **Reason for elimination: Even though this has the same ousting as canon, it made sense to me that our CIT would try to outwit Heather in some way given their conflict in the series. She also knows that Gwen would gladly join in voting her off for similar reasons. This additionally was a strategic choice on Courtney's part when Heather is known to be a major threat in the game.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Cameron, Courtney, Gwen, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: October 9, 2018.**


	10. Time to Talk

**Ready for Chapter 10? Here it is! More than one crucial conversation is about to happen. Read on to find who Courtney will talk to after Zoey. First, I'll reply to more reviews.**

 **animefan1009: You're about to find out what they'll discuss. Glad I was also able to give you a nice birthday present with the last chapter.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Mal is indeed still around. You'll see how crazy things later get.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Heather's elimination was admittedly predictable, but I knew Courtney would want her out pre-merge if possible, so she took the chance to make that happen. Getting Mal under control is easier said than done.**

 **That British Guy: Sorry, but cliffhangers add dramatic/suspenseful effect, which is what I was aiming for.**

 **ShadowJcreed: Somebody clearly doesn't like the future Mrs. Burromuerto. I personally despised Heather when first watching TDI, but as she toned down her mean antics in TDA, was even less of a jerk during TDWT, and only loses more nastiness without entirely going soft during TDAS, she's now overall someone I have mixed feelings on. You're welcome for her departure. I also find Lindsay's cheer for that fitting given their canon conflict. Ms. Busty blonde and Sam are among my favorite Total Drama characters and I admittedly feel they should've gone further than they did in the real season 5, so it's fun to improvise with them here and I'm glad you enjoy their actions so far. You'll see what happens with Mal. Zoey will state here why she was fine with Courtney using the shovel on Mike to test their theory.**

 **Jose-B-DragonMarino: I presume you mean "As a Courtney fan", in which case you're welcome.**

 **Skittyn: In the future, it would be better for you to post your comments in English. If I've translated your review correctly, it's nice to know you like what I've been doing. Mal has plans that only time will tell. Courtney isn't just going to directly confront that evil thing on how she knows about him as that would create havoc and likely prompt him to orchestrate her elimination like he did with Alejandro in canon.**

 **Here we go!**

Zoey looks around to make sure nobody else is nearby. All we can see is Alejandro swimming to shore. Heather apparently pushed him into the water just like when I first lived through the season. The pigtailed girl then takes me off to a side where he can't hear either of us while making his way to the boys' cabin. Here we go.

"Now that nobody is within earshot, I'm very worried about Mike." she anxiously whispers. "His Chester personality woke up from that whack and complained about 'dang fool kids swinging shovels everywhere', but then some evil thing came up and told him it was only the beginning of something before Mike turned back into his normal self again. Chances are that vicious bit was the Mal that Duncan warned us about even if that sounded crazy when he first spoke of him. It also must've been who I saw chucking Lindsay's lipstick at animals yesterday, which you may have overheard during last night's moon race. Not blaming you since it was my idea to give another hit to the head even though I couldn't bring myself to carry out the actual whack. I saw from a distance how you stopped him from using that giant boulder, and though I couldn't hear any of what either of you were saying as I ran over before he mentioned needing to protect me plus had no better ideas to fix whatever's wrong with him, thanks for not letting Mike hurt himself more than necessary. Something that big easily could've killed him and you prevented that before I could."

Your instinct is correct, Zoey. With Chester surfacing, it seems like things are partially back to how they were before the season began. The boulder indeed would've been worse than what just happened. Too bad you couldn't stop him in time from using that during my first run-through.

"No wonder you sound distressed. The whistle I heard earlier definitely sounded like Mal's signature tune as well. That persona has evidently found a way to disguise himself as Mike. It could be tricky to tell at times who's in control." I reply.

"Exactly! That's something I really worry about. I wanted to consult you before anyone else since you helped Mike and me test our theory." Ms. Pigtails adds. "While I know the real Mike that I love still is with us and have no doubt he's the main persona rather than Mal, he can't control himself now as well as before. I'd hate for that evil thing to dominate control of his body."

That happened last time until Mike somehow defeated him. She learned about this after watching Alejandro's DVD compiled of Mal moments. Here's hoping her boyfriend conquers his inner demon sooner now since he has more control than in the original timeline.

I add "It feels like we're living out Robert Louis Stevenson's book _Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_ , except with more than one alternate personality."

"True, and I do hope this Hyde doesn't hurt my Jekyll or anyone else." Zoey agrees.

"As do I. If there was some way to bring him back for certain, then we could record that and play it for him when we know Mal is among us." I tell her.

The pigtailed girl hesitates. After a moment, she says "There's only one thing I can think of; me in some form of danger. I unfortunately don't know how we could convincingly feign that and not have to go through actual danger."

Dammit! I hoped for something less drastic. This fake danger would have to sound real to trick Mal and/or get through to Mike. Wait, does it have to involve physical harm? Let's go into specifics. I then ask her "You say danger, but what about danger of losing the game, or in danger of some emotional distress? Is it solely limited to your physical safety?"

"Danger of elimination would do no good as he'd see right through that when I'm still competing. Emotional distress on the other hand could be worth trying." Zoey answers.

"What we need now is a tape recorder or something." I add, feeling this might do some good for us.

"There should be one somewhere in the hotel. You've already risked enough by entering it once after losing today's challenge, so leave this to me. I'll meet with you to record in the morning before Mike or Mal returns from exile if I do find anything. Lindsay and Sam would probably find me going in and out of there at night suspicious." she tells me.

"Fair enough. Just knock on the window so I know it's you. If Gwen asks for anything, then tell her we need to talk alone. She'd probably think we're insane for trying to do anything Mal-related without tangible evidence he's around." I respond, and then we part.

I'm shocked either of us could come up with a plan as soon as we did without me giving away my time-travel. While it might not be perfect, this is better than nothing and we could adjust details later if needed. Chef is likely still expecting me to return the idol to him. Better go find that cook. As I make my way over to the docks, he can be seen getting off his boat.

"If you by any chance orchestrated tonight's elimination, then major kudos to you, Gomez! You've definitely got the brains for it and taking out Heather Woodley pre-merge is quite an accomplishment considering how crafty she often is." the cook compliments as he walks towards me.

"As a matter of fact, I did, and thank you." I confirm. "I was fed up of that bitch plus knew Gwen probably was too, so getting her in on the plan was easy. Cameron thankfully had no problems agreeing to join us. Scott on the other hand needed more convincing to take part in my plan. Alejandro apparently just voted for her on his own terms. He'd probably get suspicious of me if I did consult him for a vote, though; we're not exactly on good terms and don't trust one another that well."

I then hand him the idol. He replies "Smart thinking. I now need to meet up with Chris before he complains about my absence." before leaving, and we wave each other goodbye.

If I didn't already have Hatchet's respect, then I'm sure I do now. It feels quite nice. Too bad he still must make something gross for my dinner when my team lost today's challenge. A subpar breakfast will also follow tomorrow morning. There's one last challenge coming up before the merge, so I hope to finish strong before Gwen and Scott are no longer my teammates.

Speaking of the ginger, he's probably expecting me soon. I'm certain he wants to ask me out the next chance he gets. No problems with that as I'd gladly be his once he does during a time when we don't have any challenges. Chances are he's near or inside the boys' cabin. I head over towards there. On my way, I see Sam talking with him in the distance. While I know the gamer has befriended Cameron and Mike, why would he chat with Scott now when they never really got along that well before? I decide to listen in on their conversation.

"Sam, I know we haven't exactly been friends or anything, but I need your help as the other guys would probably give me crap for this or just be plain unhelpful if I consulted them. It's a similar scenario to what you once had last season. You know how you only had one date in your life before meeting your girlfriend Dakota? To be honest, I've never had much luck with girls myself except for some hand-holding, some hugging, and one kiss. I'm also not sure how initiate a relationship or be a boyfriend. Tips for getting a girlfriend without screwing things up would be quite nice." the ginger urges.

Of the remaining males, only Al could possibly give him crap for that now. Duncan would probably get jealous and attack Scott physically and/or verbally for wanting to be with me if still in the game. Even though Mike and Cameron still have conflicts with Scott, I'm sure neither would make fun of the guy for liking someone. Any girls who may have rejected him before are missing out.

"Show this lady that you care and that you like her for who she is. That's what I did with Dakota. I might not have always said the right things at first, but if you treat this someone well and are dedicated to her, then you should at least have a chance unless she's already seeing somebody else and/or has already turned you down." the gamer advises. "When you feel there's something that could lead to more than friendship, just keep it short and simple as you ask her out. You should also do so in privacy to avoid interruptions. Maybe rehearse aloud and/or mentally before you pop the question. Do her little favors from time to time, but don't go overboard with it. Best of luck with whoever it is you like."

Sam's pretty spot on and probably referring to that time he said Dakota had "beautiful nostrils" before quickly realizing how odd that sounded. It admittedly was quite funny and reminded me of how Geoff once screwed up by awkwardly telling Bridgette in season 1 "you pitch a tent like a guy" when trying to compliment her tent-building skills. Geoff quickly learned from that mistake and later won Bridgette over. Sam obviously has also become wiser with what to say and do around females. Dakota's lucky to have someone as dedicated as him. Not to brag, but I know I can say I also scored in finding dedication within Scott.

"Much appreciated. You don't know how much this means to me." Scott thanks him.

"Of course. I felt the same way before I started dating Dakota. Then I remembered what some buddies from my gaming leagues told me, and it ended up working well." Sam replies before walking away.

That exchange reminds me of how the ginger admitted during a confessional that he didn't have any idea on how to be a boyfriend, and that "If you're ever in Holland, go Dutch" was the only dating advice his father ever gave him. Did the guy's mom and sister never provide anything useful? Oh well. At least now he's got more to work with. Chef shows up with the losers' dinner shortly afterwards: a burnt duck.

Sure, it's an improvement over the subpar meals I had when losing other challenges this season, but burning dinner still irks me. Scott asks me "Would you care to have dinner with me, alone?" as I take some duck and utensils.

I smile and nod. It's hard hiding my excitement when I know what inevitably will come up, but I need to wait for the right moment. He gestures for me to follow him and I comply. We walk up to a secluded spot shining under the moonlight. I then take a seat next to him. The two of us start eating. As we finish the meal about ten minutes later, something comes up.

"Courtney, you know how we agreed to be allies, right?" he inquires.

"Of course." I affirm while chewing my last mouthful of duck.

"Well, what if I told you I wanted more than that?" the ginger adds.

I swallow before replying "Go on; I'm listening."

Scott gulps and has an anxious look on his face. It's rather obvious why. He says "The truth is that I-I like you a lot. I have ever since day one. Just didn't really know how to properly express it at first. After spending time together, winning some challenges, losing others, holding hands a couple of times, and even that brief kiss after I saved you last night from that angry deer, I need to ask something while we're alone and I still have the chance."

My smile couldn't be held back. I don't care at this point. The ginger then pulls out a ring from his pocket, which probably was made from that string he picked up a couple of days ago instead of his filthy shoelace. Much cleaner and more appealing!

"Will you be my boyfriend? Ugh, no; I meant to say girlfriend." Scott continues as he holds out the ring and chuckles nervously over his flub. "Sorry about that. Will you go out with me?"

He got it right sooner than in my first run-through! Perhaps rehearsing beforehand like Sam suggested helped him here. I then respond with "No worries, and I like you too, so yes. Just please don't let our relationship get in the way of challenges." as I put the ring on my finger and we share a loving kiss that lasts for several seconds.

FINALLY! I needed to get that out of my system and have been waiting so long for us to become a couple. So glad it's now officially become reality! He earned it. You can bet your bottom dollar I won't fuck things up with him like before. Right now, I can't stop smiling. Neither can he.

"Not a problem. Let me take your dish back to the cabin. I insist." Scott then unexpectedly tells me.

Quite a gentleman! He didn't have to do this, but I'm fine with it and hand him my plate before we walk back. It's been a better night than I could've imagined after losing today's challenge. Not only did one of my biggest enemies go home, but I at long last am dating the guy I want! Thanks to Sam for also helping the ginger start this relationship more smoothly tonight than in the original timeline. I respect the gamer even more now and there's no doubt he'll also have Scott's gratitude.

Once we arrive at the girls' cabin, I warmly hug Scott and say "Thanks for the solo dinner tonight and carrying my plate. Let's hope we win tomorrow. In the meantime, it's getting late and I should rest before the next challenge."

He tells me "My pleasure, and I also hope to win again." before we let go of the hug and he heads over to the boys' cabin.

I then put the ring in my pocket before getting my toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and pajamas. After reaching the communal bathrooms (the cabins don't have any sinks or toilets), I get changed and then clean my teeth. Once I finish flossing, I use the toilet before heading back to the cabin. Something I'll have to remember is my plan with Zoey in the morning. Gwen is in one of the beds already.

"It's quite a relief to not have Heather around anymore. Thanks again for getting her out tonight as these cabins at least are now more pleasant to be in." the goth states.

"Sure thing, and you can say that again!" I agree, and then yawn before adding "Now I need sleep. Goodnight."

"Same with me. Goodnight to you too." she replies, and we both call it a night. I feel myself drifting to sleep within a few minutes.

 **Zoey has a plan for bringing back Mike! Scottney also officially became a couple! If you're wondering why Sam helped give Scott dating tips, then it's because I imagined the gamer would sympathize with his situation as they had similar experiences (or lack thereof) with relationships before first competing on Total Drama. Next chapter will be the last challenge before the merge.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Cameron, Courtney, Gwen, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: October 14, 2018.**


	11. Recordings and Boxing

**Here we go: the last challenge before the merge. This massive chapter is the longest one yet and took me longer to write than any of the previous ones. It features some surprises. Let's first respond to more of the reviews.**

 **xtremexavier15: Thanks, and you're about to find out what follows.**

 **ShadowJcreed: I felt having non-challenge chapters could help this fic from potentially getting too monotonous. Also, major things like searching Fun Zone at night for the immunity idol and getting together with Scott were events I felt needed their own attention outside of the general challenge chapters. There will definitely be at least one other chapter in the future that doesn't involve a challenge. Not quite sure when that will be or what it will involve, though. I'm nevertheless glad you liked Chapter 10 and Scottney making things official was satisfying to write. You'll see later how Zoey's idea works out. Glad somebody appreciates how Sam helped out Scott with girl tips given their similar experience (or lack thereof) with dating before joining Total Drama.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Quite true. More to follow on both Zoey's plan and Scottney.**

 **That British Guy: Like it or not, Scottney (aka Scourtney) is a major component of this fic.**

 **animefan1009: Zoey indeed wanted to talk about Mal. I admittedly made it kind of obvious :P. She and Courtney plan something out to help Mike here. Of course our CIT is concerned for the pigtailed girl and her boyfriend; his inner demon is a massive danger!**

 **Reaper: Duncan doesn't really need a time-travel fic as he's already had plenty of success on Total Drama. While certainly a memorable character, I wouldn't call him "the coolest" given his douchey actions, including infidelity.**

 **Young Smasher: Glad you like this fic :).**

 **Enjoy Chapter 11!**

I wake up earlier than normal with senses of glee and worry at the same time. Glee because Heather is gone plus Scott finally became my boyfriend last night. Worry because Mal is among us even if I prevented him from taking as much control over Mike's body as he did when I first lived through All-Stars. Thankfully Zoey and I came up with a plan to help bring Mike back. The pigtailed girl knocks on my window soon afterwards.

"Ready to record?" she quietly asks me, and I nod in response.

After that, I walk outside with clothing for today, putting Scott's ring in one pocket. I tell Zoey "Just please let me get dressed first.", and she nods understandingly before I walk over to the communal bathroom to put my clothes on.

Once I've put those on and put my pajamas away, I meet with Ms. Pigtails outside. I'm amazed none of this woke up Gwen. That goth must be a heavier sleeper than I thought. The two of us head out to some secluded part of camp. Good thing nobody is within hearing distance.

"I managed to get two tape recorders from the basement downstairs last night without anybody noticing. Labels for them are in my pockets along with a marker. We can keep the extra as a backup." Zoey adds as she pulls both recorders from her pockets.

"Sounds good, and if you've got an idea set for what to record, then let's begin." I reply.

"Yes, I do." she affirms before putting one away.

After a pause to collect herself and her thoughts, Zoey starts recording "Mike? Without you around, I don't know what I'll do! The thought of your normal self being gone makes me panic beyond belief! I need the real you back. If you don't resurface, then I just might lose my mind!" with lots of anxiety in her voice.

Something tells me this isn't just acting. She was worried sick about him in the original timeline. That's no different here. Another thought then came to my mind.

"Suppose for a moment that you do get eliminated before Mal is gone. Maybe you could also record something to help bring him back using that other recorder." I tell her afterwards.

The pigtailed girl shrugs her shoulders. She takes the other recorder, and then says "Mike, if you're listening to this and I'm no longer competing while you still are, then I urge you to beat what's been plaguing you. Do it for me. Fight your problem. Win the competition for us! I know the real you can still be found in there somewhere. Prove me right. Love always, Zoey."

That should help. We then label each tape, the first recording as "Distress", and the second one as "Fight It". Both labeled tapes go into her pockets. Hopefully neither tape will have to be used very often.

"See you at the challenge. I should get back to the cabins and you should return to the hotel before anybody gets suspicious." I say afterwards.

"Quite true, see you then." she agrees and the two of us part.

Walking over, I remember the ring in my pocket and put that on one finger. Not sure how often I'll wear this, but I should at least show Scott today that I kept it with me. He'd probably get offended if I chucked it. This thing is too special for me to just get rid of anyway. My goth friend is just waking up as I reach the cabin entrance again.

"How long have you been up?" Gwen asks me.

"Long enough to prepare for the day." I reply, which thankfully is a truth I can safely tell without revealing my Mal plans. "Better do the same before Chris calls us over."

She shrugs her shoulders and I close the door to let her get her daytime clothes on. The goth then opens it again a few minutes later fully dressed. After that, Gwen asks "Did Scott give you that ring?" while pointing towards my finger and adds "I saw him tying string into loops of some sort a few days ago, but he wouldn't say what it was for. That sure looks like what he was using. He undoubtedly digs you based on the way he sometimes gazes at you."

I didn't think she'd guess that so quickly. It admittedly caught me off guard. This makes me blush somewhat as I confess "Yes he did. We started off as friends and just became a couple last night, though I admit I didn't initially expect this to happen then or to begin returning his affections as soon as I did. I also know what I'm getting myself into. Just please don't give either of us crap for it."

It's true; I originally doubted we'd get together before the merge during this run-through. His attraction to me also became mutual in the original timeline sooner than I would've guessed. There still are obviously no complaints about last night's initiation.

"Don't worry, I won't." the goth assures me. "Wishing you both the best."

"Thank you." I respond with a smile.

Nice to know somebody supports my new relationship. Chef shows up with our breakfast shortly afterwards. Today it's eggs with bacon and moldy toast. Just like when first living through this day, I choose not to eat that toast to avoid getting ill. Gwen quickly eats her eggs and bacon before discarding her plate. I do the same and end up eating sooner than the first time around to finish in time for our challenge (Chris called us over before I could finish during my first run-through). Cameron and Scott then join us at our cabin to eat. The ginger is in very high spirits this morning.

"While I don't particularly get along with Scott, I give him congratulations for his new relationship." bubble boy says as they sit down. "He couldn't stop smiling last night."

No surprise there. I honestly couldn't stop either.

"That means a lot coming from you, and I'm grateful." Scott thanks him.

"Of course." Wilkins replies before asking us "On another note, is toast supposed to be green?" in a worried tone while holding up his bread.

"Mama calls this penicillin purée." My new boyfriend remarks as he takes the toast from him and continues with "Never had a cold in my life!" before happily eating it, making the goth gag out of disgust, but she thankfully doesn't vomit.

Talk about gross! I'm shocked he can stomach that at all. My stomach might be strong, but there's no way it could handle mold. Alejandro then shows up and tells him "You dare contaminate yourself with such filth!? No wonder you reek!"

That's apparently what he would've said if Scott didn't taunt "Wakey, wakey, legs-a-fakey" for pretending his legs were asleep? Should've seen it coming.

"Again, never had a-" the ginger answers before Al interrupts him with "Bullshit. You'd be lucky not to puke after eating such mold, you idiot."

Moldy toast is revolting for sure, but how dare he insult my guy like that!? I defend the ginger with "If anyone's really been an idiot lately, then it's you. Heather was the only Vulture who could possibly be willing to side with you if you reached the merge here given your reputation for being a jackass with all the fucked-up shit you shamelessly did in the third season. We gave her the boot to prove her tricks weren't as clever as she thought. You evidently joined us in voting that cunt off, so with her gone, good luck finding an ally Al.", adding the "Al" bit just to spite him as I know he hates being referred to as such.

Like the others, I was mad at Burromuerto for duping us all with the fake sleeping legs in the original timeline and blindsiding Heather by stealing the immunity idol from her, showcasing his deceptive nature. Us Vultures voted for him then and he shocked everyone by using that idol to save himself and eliminate his future girlfriend. She quite understandably resented him for it. Despite that, they still got together sometime in between his elimination and the season's finale. That prize money was apparently the main thing that interfered with them becoming a happy couple. They would get very affectionate with one another and kissed in the confessional during the finals, which grossed Chris out (who probably thought it was getting R-rated in there) and unfortunately led to lots of loud sex after they moved into an apartment near mine. While the two still argued from time to time over past Total Drama events or sometimes financial/living arrangements, they overall got along quite well after season 5 ended. I need to pick an apartment far away from what I chose in the original timeline once I move out from my parents' home.

That night we found out about his legs made basically everyone turn against him if they hadn't already, not because anybody other than that prick liked Heather, but because it demonstrated how untrustworthy he was. That bastard should rot in hell. It made me hate him even more than I already did. This time she went out more fairly through an actual majority vote, so no complaints about the elimination itself or how it took place on the same night in both timelines, but he made a mistake by betraying her after a proposed alliance and getting rid of her pre-merge if he wanted any chance of even getting to the final five this season. He can't realistically expect to stay in the game for much longer.

"I would prefer it if you did not call me that name." an irritated Alejandro responds with a scowl.

Scott then puts his plate down to stand up and retort "What's wrong with the name Al? My sister's named Al, short for Albertha. She's the county hog caller." and then calls out "Suey! Suey!", presumably to demonstrate how his sister manages to call hogs over to her.

A hog then suddenly appears and squeals as it runs towards the ginger and knocks him down, making him yell "Ow!" upon impact.

The thing somehow pants like a dog while standing on Scott's chest. I just stare at it in shock. Note to self: take caution when calling for hogs.

"Good soon-to-be-painful morning everyone! Head to the Chrisiseum pronto! Today's challenge isn't gonna hurt itself." McLean then instructs through the speakerphones.

Everybody then walks over. I hold hands with Scott along the way. As you know, I've really wanted him to be mine for quite a while. It feels blissful that we made things official last night. His palms aren't so sweaty now, probably because he now knows I like him back plus the first time tends to be more anxiety-inducing. I start thinking back on things between us as we make our way towards the host.

If anybody told me at the beginning of my first run-through that I would end up dating him, then I probably would've called them crazy. That obviously is no longer the case. I didn't think much of Scott before my transfer from the Hamsters to the Vultures. Then again, we didn't really interact before becoming teammates. When first the team, I thought he was my only choice for an ally when I was on bad terms with everyone else on the team, and just wanted to be allies (and maybe friends) at the time. His flirting initially irked me back then.

Over time, I went from simply desiring an alliance to reciprocating the ginger's attraction to me. Like I mentioned before, that was quicker than expected, but at least we didn't simply jump into things the moment we started liking one another. The two of us initially got together after our first kiss (even if it was an accident when I tripped on a cabin board and our lips somehow met as I fell onto him). I can already say things are going better this time around without Mal or anybody else interfering within a couple hours of our relationship beginning plus Scott was able to ask me out more smoothly after consulting Sam for girl help. While I feel like I should thank the gamer for this, that would give away how I was listening in on what was probably supposed to be a private conversation. Oh well.

"Welcome to Camp Wawanakwa Coliseum!" he proclaims once we arrive there while standing in the middle of a boxing arena.

"A boxing ring?" an unimpressed Scott inquires.

"Boxing?" Wilkins asks with lots of worry in his voice.

I don't blame the bubble boy for fearing this event. He easily has the lowest physical strength of all the remaining players. Good thing his big brain at least partially helps compensate for that.

Our cook then brings Mike into the arena. McLean then taunts "Looking rough, Chef. You have a run-in with a big bad baby squirrel over on Boney Island, hmm?"

"That kid ain't right!" I can hear Chef whispering to Chris as he points towards Mike/Mal, who is joining his team now.

Like the other cast members from season 4, Mike is 17 and thus a teenager rather than a kid, but I can understand the cook's concern over him and his alternate personalities. Especially one specific evil persona. Something the cameras on Boney Island showed was Hatchet getting trampled by a stampede of animals running away from Mal, who then stood on his hand as he approached him. I guess the same happened here with that demon showing up in exile.

"Man are you a sight for sore eyes!" the multi-personality teen greets Zoey.

That was one of those moments when I couldn't tell whether Mike or Mal was in control when re-watching the season. It's also hard to say for sure here.

"Greetings, playas! The recipe for today's disaster is a hearty helping of season one's no-pain-no-gain challenge with a pinch of phobia factor for extra zing." Chris announces.

Lindsay gulps in fear before saying "That can't be good", and I don't blame her for it.

McLean then gets out of the ring and tells us "Get ready to sink your soon-to-be-missing teeth into the wheel of misfortune." as he gestures towards said wheel, continuing with "The rules are simple. Spin the wheel and go a full two minutes with whatever the wheel lands on. Win the match and earn your team a point. Fights will be judged impartially by Chef and myself. First team to win three battles is the champ." while Hatchet for some reason has changed into a pink strapless dress with matching gloves and even a matching hat before joining his host.

Sam then comments "Hopefully my time playing _Mike Tyson's Punch-Out_ helps out here."

"I seriously doubt it will." Chris quips "Now, let's get ready to pummel-"

Mike interjects with "Uh, uh, hang on; where are the rewards you promised Sam?" and points his thumb towards the gamer.

That's right; I almost forgot how he collected the most eggs for his team yesterday AND won the challenge for them. Our host sighs and answers with "I was hoping you'd forgotten about that, but for being MVP in the last challenge you don't have to box, AND the heroes get a point."

A scoreboard can then be heard dinging as it changes the score 1-0 Hamsters. This leads to cheers from them. Wait, Wilkins is cheering with them!? Wrong team even if he's happy for his friend!

"Don't forget what team you're playing for, Cameron." I remind him.

"Oh right, sorry; just still used to being on their side." he apologizes with a nervous chuckle and rejoins us Vultures as Scott silently glares at him.

Chris then continues "Since the villains lost yesterday, they go first. Who's rumble ready?"

I decide to kick things off and reply "Let's just get it over with." as I walk over and spin the wheel.

The host comments "Say hello to your foe, the bear!"

Turning around, one angry bear with boxing gloves is brought into the ring from below. I gulp in fear as it growls. Hopefully that isn't the same one that I had to snatch my immunity idol from on Boney Island. Perhaps I should've mentioned before that I deep down am terrified of those things either way after one almost killed me during my time off in season 4 where I was hiking in some mountains. Thankfully I got away unharmed, but Chris just HAD to find out about the ordeal and put this option on the wheel as a potential opponent. He also gave me tons of crap for it before I first competed in season 5. My bear encounter in exile only made that fear even worse. I hesitantly put away Scott's ring and get boxing gloves on as I enter the boxing ring. The battle begins shortly afterward.

My bear opponent roars before swinging punches at me. It doesn't even wait for a bell to start the match. Oh well. I block the first one, but the second hits me hard in the crotch. It makes me groan in pain. That really hurt! With some struggle, I get back up after a moment and attack the bear.

"Give him hell, Courtney!" Scott calls from the sidelines.

Nice to know at least somebody has my back. I can also hear Gwen shout out "Watch out for his hooks!", which helps me dodge a couple shots from the bear.

The bear is growling at me again. I take the opportunity to sock it in the face. Did I just break that thing's nose? There's some blood trickling out from there. Anyway, after it dodges another punch from me, I hit the bear in the gut. It whimpers for a bit. How much time remains until I win a point? Better defeat it in time or at least avoid getting knocked out. I decide to wear out the bear somewhat by running around the perimeter of the ring.

"Stop running like a coward!" Chris yells at me.

"I know what I'm doing. Don't worry." I insist.

Unfortunately, the bear doesn't seem to have lost much energy. So much for wearing it out. I just decide to hit it in the face as hard as I can using both fists. That worked! The bear falls to the ground and I jump on top of its belly in triumph.

A bell can be heard to end the round right before our host announces "The villains get a point, and we're tied one-all! Hero time! Come on up, Zoey."

Some interns take the bear out of the ring as I exit. The pigtailed girl shrugs her shoulders and goes to spin the wheel. She tells Chris "Please tell me this is a joke." after the wheel lands.

"Nope; it's you vs. Anne Maria!" he responds.

Anne Maria, a contestant from season 4 who was overall more concerned with her appearance than challenges, can then be shown entering the ring. She looks and sounds like a teenage version of Snooki from the show Jersey Shore, and her can of hairspray is probably her most prized possession. Never mess with that or her spray-tan if you want her on your good side. Ms. Hairspray and Zoey had a conflict over Mike when competing together as she was in love with his Vito personality (who liked her back and would get affectionate with her) while the pigtailed girl loved the real Mike and obviously still does to this day. Mike himself was into Zoey all along and never had any interest in Anne Maria. That created lots of drama which Chris must've loved for bringing in ratings. At least Mr. Multiple Personalities was able to set things straight with the one he really loved.

"You'll pay for taking Vito from me, Red!" Anne Maria snaps out of jealousy as she sprays her giant poof of hair with that can of hairspray and puts her boxing gloves on.

"First off, Vito is one of Mike's alternate personalities and not the main thing. The primary persona wasn't into you at all. Secondly, he was never yours to begin with, so I never took anything away from you. We both have already known all of that for a year." Zoey retorts with irritation while getting into the ring.

Hold on, is pigtails ripping off the bottom part of her tube top? She just tied it to her forehead. Her more aggressive "Commando Zoey" side from season 4 is among us! That side came out when she was pushed too far and wanted vengeance. It also showcased how athletic the pigtailed girl could be. Even if Jo, Lightning, or Eva are overall bigger jocks, this is still someone to watch out for when angered. I'd hate for Commando Zoey to target my ass! Spreading war paint onto her cheeks before putting on boxing gloves only confirms this further. It really is on now!

"None of it changes how you're getting a beatdown. Bring it on!" the teenage Snooki responds.

"Courtney AND Zoey both get personal opponents. What's the chance of that just being a coincidence?" Sam wonders aloud.

"Astronomical! I think I smell a rat." our bubble boy answers with suspicion.

That reminds me; Chris DOES rig this process to give us personalized opponents! What a sleazy fucker. I then look at the wheel and notice that instead of a mutant bird for Duncan and a mutant rat for Sierra, it now features Anne Maria's silhouette for Zoey and Beth's silhouette evidently for Lindsay. Sam won the reward of not fighting this time instead of Ms. Pigtails, so the Snooki lookalike is evidently who she would've otherwise faced. Wonder what the gamer would have to go up against. McLean specifically arranged for me to fight that bear and for Zoey to fight Anne Maria. Chef simply goes along with that. Nothing I can do to change either of these fights, though. Cameron and apparently Sam have already caught onto things anyway so there's no need for me to expose this.

On another note, Mike looks very uncomfortable taking all this in. I can't blame him at all for feeling that way right now. He just needs to keep his shirt on to avoid turning into Vito. How would you feel if you were trying to get close to someone you liked yet at the same time had an alternate personality who was attracted to someone you had no interest in? I know I'd hate such a conflicting experience. The girls begin fighting once a bell starts.

Never underestimate the fury of a jealous female. An irate Anne Maria starts firing punches towards Commando Zoey, only hitting her once. Every other shot is either blocked or dodged. Pigtails takes a moment to recover after getting hit hard in the chest. Our commando fighter then socks Ms. Hairspray once in the gut before smacking her jaw. Anne Maria loses one of her teeth as a result.

She spits some of her blood in Zoey's face in some attempt to (at least partially) blind her for a bit. It doesn't really help. The Snooki lookalike then gives one more punch to the torso. She then tries to run away for a bit after realizing her opponent won't back down even with that hit. The pigtailed girl knocks her out cold with a punch to the back of the head and then a bell can be heard to end the match. Anne Maria undoubtedly would complain about her hair getting touched if still conscious.

"Commando Zoey made a glorious return! It's 2-1 heroes. One more point, and they win the whole thing. Villains, you're up." our host then announces as he points his thumb towards the wheel.

Uh-oh. That's quite bad. We can't lose again! Zoey then exits the ring as a couple of interns drag away her unconscious opponent.

"I'll earn us a point." Alejandro confidently proclaims as he goes up to spin the wheel.

I don't make any cracks about him landing on Heather for an opponent this time because I already know he'll face José Burromuerto, his "older, smarter, better-looking brother" (to quote one of Al's confessionals). This guy has often bullied Alejandro in the past both physically and verbally. Part of it involves repeatedly calling him "Al" out of spite along with many punches to the arm. It must've been in some really condescending fashion to make him hate it so much. José has also supposedly been superior to him in just about everything, including personal grooming, academics, and sports.

Alejandro gasps in despair as he sees what the wheel lands on, uttering "No; it can't be!" in fear.

José then appears in the ring within some poof of smoke with boxing gloves already on. Does he have some sort of teleporting powers? Every contestant except his brother gasps at the sight. Even I gasp. While I already knew who the opponent would be, I somehow totally forgot how he could just appear out of thin air like that! Admittedly a very impressive action. It must be only something he can use to a limited extent or he probably would just use it repeatedly within the match. While I don't remember all the exact words, I do know Al will snap once his brother insults Heather.

"José!" Alejandro adds with a scowl.

"Ooh, doggie!" Chris says for some reason and continues with "Does Al have what it takes to stand up to his big bro or will baby fall down go boom? Find out after the break right here on Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

Alejandro then enters the ring and puts on his boxing gloves. A bell is heard to begin their match. José taunts "Buenos Dias, Al! You look tired and in need of exfoliation."

His brother retorts with "I exfoliate once a week, and the only thing I'm tired of is you!"

An irritated Chris butts in with "Enough with the touching family reunion; start punching each other!" before the bell is heard again.

José fires the first punch, which gets blocked. Al then takes two swipes back. Both miss as his brother dodges in time. The elder Burromuerto then hits his opponent's shoulder and blocks a retaliatory punch. They only aim for torsos because of some family code to never hit each other's faces.

"Looks like the villains are gonna be shut out, or should I say punched out." Chris cracks a pun as the brothers continue to just fire at one another's bodies without much damage.

After dodging another punch, José mocks his younger brother with "Your technique is almost as embarrassing as the way your girlfriend with the unattractive personality burned you on national television.", which prompts an enraged growl from Al.

Wait, José said "girlfriend"? I'm not sure if that term in this instance meant they were officially a couple at this point (only with a delayed announcement) or if he was just giving Al shit. I do agree that Heather has an unattractive personality, though. Sure, Alejandro was literally burnt by lava during the season 3 finale after Heather kneed him in the balls during a kiss (thus a metaphorical burn), though insulting her like that in front of him was his breaking point. José laughs with his eyes closed. A major mistake on his part. Alejandro takes the opportunity to strike and smacks him hard in the gut as he calls out "That's for calling me Al!"

It doesn't stop there. José is stunned for a moment by that punch. Al continues by jumping behind him and striking his brother in the back and tells him "That's for always hogging the bathroom mirror!" before giving him a punch in the groin as he continues with "And replacing my soap with a urinal cake!"

He really is on a roll now! That urinal cake bit is also just plain wrong and revolting. José undoubtedly is an even bigger asshole than Alejandro (which is saying quite a lot), who then quickly winds up his arms as he adds "And this is for calling any aspect of Heather unattractive!" and strikes his brother in the groin with both fists.

That last punch sends José into the ring's edge, and he bounces off it before falling flat on his face and probably passing out. The bell rings as Al kneels and triumphantly raises a glove in the air. Maybe sticking up for the future Mrs. Burromuerto like that helped them reconcile after his elimination in the original timeline. In any case, an impressed Chris proclaims "Whoa! The villains get a point, and now we all know how Alejandro really feels about Heather."

It's true. That defense erased any doubts people may have had that he likes her. He was always at least somewhat more open than Heather about how he felt even when not outright admitting it or when his desire to defeat her in the contest took precedence. She's often too prideful to admit the attraction is of course mutual. Two nearby interns carry José out of the ring as his brother exits.

After our host continues with "And we're tied two all. Hero time!", Mike volunteers with "Guess I'll go next." and heads for the wheel.

Cameron then complains "What's the point in spinning the wheel? The game must be rigged!"

Everyone else except Sam and me ask "Huh?" in some mixture of confusion and shock.

"Are you sure about that?" Lindsay inquires.

"He's definitely right; Courtney fought a bear she was clearly afraid of, Zoey duked it out with her rival Anne Maria, and now Alejandro just faced his bully of a brother." The gamer adds.

"Because of all their past issues, the odds are too astronomical for this to be random." Mr. bubble boy continues.

"It does seem a little rigged." Gwen admits while rubbing her chin.

"More like a lot rigged!" I blurt, which is safe to do now when Wilkins has already brought up the matter.

"How about this: I guarantee the next spinner will have a non-specific-to-their-personal-terror opponent, OK?" an irritated Chris proposes before glancing towards Chef and slightly nodding his head.

The cook sighs dejectedly in response. Mike spins the wheel. Mr. Wilkins assures us "Just watch; it'll be exactly what Mike's afraid of."

"Or is it what Cameron's afraid of?" our host asks as it lands on the shape of a spider.

Bubble boy screams in terror and cowers with both hands over his head.

"I thought you were over spiders." states a confused Zoey.

He replies with "That is NOT a spider!" while pointing to the rising giant spider, who really is Izzy in a costume.

The crazy redhead takes off her mask and says "Greetings, spider food!" with a chuckle.

This makes Cameron scream in horror and run away. He used to have arachnophobia before first competing on Total Drama. That changed during the nighttime scavenger hunt challenge where contestants had to avoid getting captured by a giant spider (which was also Izzy in disguise). While fighting her to break free cured his fear of spiders, he became terrified of the girl after that encounter and seeing her in the costume. After Mike gets into the ring with his gloves on, Chris announces "It's an 8-legged Izzy!" right before the bell sounds off to start the match.

Izzy takes a sniff and is grossed out by whatever scent she picks up. She tells Mike "Ugh! You smell weird, like a honey cruller wrapped in rotten ham. Good on the inside. Poison on the outside."

The multi-personality teen just stares at her in confusion.

"In all fairness, he didn't have a chance to shower this morning before the challenge because he spent last night on Boney Island." Sam adds.

Ms. Crazy redhead then asks "Question: who's Mal?", only to get a scowl in response before he raises his boxing gloves in front of his face.

Zoey and I gasp once we hear that and briefly share a knowing look. I totally forgot that Izzy somehow senses Mal! That demon is apparently disguising himself again. Was Mike somehow sending her a message from within? It would help the "Good on the inside. Poison on the outside." bit make more sense. I then remember one of Mal's confessionals from re-watching this episode, which was "They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Time to shut that window.", so I can only guess that in both timelines she saw something within his eyes that gave her a Mal vibe.

Mr. Multiple personalities then lowers his gloves and gives an evil look. With the distinctive evil voice that I know for certain is Mal, I hear him respond with "Enough chitter-chatter." before jumping onto Izzy and brutally punching her repeatedly in the face and torso.

Mal goes so far to break two of the fake spider legs during that beating just as he did in the original timeline. However, he then abruptly stops for a moment. A concerned voice then apologizes with "Izzy, I'm so sorry for that! I somehow lost control of myself and things went overboard!"

Mike is back! I silently sigh in relief. Maybe those recorders aren't needed today after all. Thankfully nobody hears me. Mal can't know I'm onto him now.

"When this is a fighting event, wanting to win is understandable, but thank you." Izzy responds, which is one of the saner things she's said on this show.

"Take your shirt off and Vito's toughness can help you win!" a now conscious Anne Maria says from the sidelines, and then tries to sound seductive when continuing with "He'd be quite welcome right about now." and giving a flirtatious wink.

OK, so she knows how to bring out Vito. Can't say I'm shocked by that. The multi-personality teen turns to reject her with "Nice try; I'm already happily dating Zoey plus my Vito personality doesn't want you either these days anyway."

Vito no longer likes the teenage Snooki? She groans dejectedly before Commando Zoey angrily knocks her out with another punch. Good thing for Mike as that persona can't interfere with his ongoing relationship with Ms. Pigtails anymore. Perhaps the alternate personality's interest in Anne Maria faded over time or just accepted who the main man was dating. Getting back to the ongoing match, Izzy then takes the opportunity to punch him. She hits Mike once on his turned cheek, and again in the torso. He blocks her third shot and states "You leave me no choice." before hitting her a few times in the stomach.

While it's not nearly as vicious as what Mal did, Izzy then catches her breath and surrenders "I give in; please no more!" before struggling to make her way out of the ring.

This unfortunately means Mike just won this challenge for the Hamsters. Chris announces "Mike got right villainous on that one, at least in the beginning, but a point's a point. That makes it 3-2. The heroes win!"

The Hamsters all triumphantly cheer. Us Vultures just groan in defeat. Here's another challenge that ended quicker today than it did in the original timeline. We then walk back towards the cabin. On the way over, I start mentally comparing what I've lived through this time around to my first run-through. The obvious negative for today is losing this time and having to face an angry bear (even if I beat that thing). On the plus side, Scott doesn't have to be paralyzed with fear when facing Fang (not even me waving my hand in his face and calling his name could get him to speak), Cameron won't get pummeled by giant mutant gophers (apparently Mike's fear), and Gwen doesn't have to go up against me (though that was what won us the challenge last time around). I've got lots to say on the last part. When our host pitted the goth and me against one another for that fight and angered me into fighting by showing clips of her kissing Duncan, we vented out all our anger and issues with one another, fully making amends with each other.

Something the cameras never showed was Scott blocking his ears and closing his eyes for much of the duel. Chances are the ginger got jealous of me ever dating other guys when I first said the words "my boyfriend" in that fight and wanted to just shut the thing out. He apparently missed out on most if not all injuries as they happened. I do however know Scott saw and heard me admit I didn't miss my relationship with Duncan, though did miss my friendship with Gwen. The ginger also definitely noticed me agree to be friends again with Ms. Goth after both of us were tired from venting everything out. Cameron nudged him to witness the conclusion. We even got double points for touching McLean's "otherwise frozen heart" (his actual words) by putting a bit of warmth into it. Scott also didn't seem to hear the details on about how Mr. Delinquent cheated on me with her or how I learned that day he had fully made the move on Gwen rather than the reverse happening or both planning something together.

Another thing I clearly remember the ginger missing out on is me asking why she didn't tell me sooner about that kiss. Then I find out it was because she wanted to wait until after the challenge to keep me from getting sidetracked by that and costing us a victory as she sensed my reaction would be ugly. Tyler blurting things out didn't help. To be fair, fearing my wrath was understandable as I was too immature in season 3 to keep rage from getting to my head when something upset me. I also probably wouldn't have listened very well to her side of the story back then if at all.

Since we had a long fight that wore us both out, much of its footage was cut from the episode, so that revelation didn't get shown to the public. Having to battle one another was hell for both Gwen and me after I had just started to warm up to her again. At the same time, it was nice to sort out our conflict and fully reconcile in the end. Thankfully we could fix things this time without having to resort to violence and did it much sooner than before. I also entered the game with a much calmer head here than in the original timeline. Knowing the full truth in advance very much did help things.

As for Scott, if I do tell him about my past with Duncan or what Alejandro did to me, then I'll have to find some way to keep his envy from getting the better of him as he was initially quite mad in the original timeline when Mal told him Al "used" Cameron's lips to kiss me. He then felt better once I explained that when I did kiss Alejandro, it was before meeting the ginger and thus had no effect on our relationship. I for some reason never told him about the manipulation. The cameras never showed that kiss with Burromuerto, but it was in between the last two pre-merge challenges in season 3.

Heather was the only one to witness that kiss and sent me silent death glares in response. It made her envy rather obvious. I remember feeling like I was in heaven in that moment because I was in love with him then and it gave me great joy to see how jealous she was upon witnessing the ordeal. Now I cringe at how his lips touched mine as that was part of his plan to throw me off my game, even if it upset one of my enemies in the process. Al apparently didn't notice her watching or otherwise might not have done it in the first place. I should also say kissing Scott last night was far better when I knew for certain we both wanted a relationship and are now happily in one.

Anyway, getting back to the present, my boyfriend compliments "The way you took down that bear was badass!" as we reach the cabins.

"It was! Not sure I could've faced that myself." Gwen agrees.

If only she knew how things went during my first run-through.

"Nice to have fans." I thank them, and then come up with a plan for later. "The merge will be here sooner or later, and when that does come, I'd like for us to reach the final three if possible."

Both smile at my thought. The goth adds "If it comes down to that, then I understand both of you wanting to reach the finals together given how close you are, though want a fair game either way for as long as we're all competing. You can be honest about it."

I start feeling guilty inside at that thought while Scott blushing a bit makes it obvious that he wanted to go to the finale with me. Yes, this is what I would've wanted when initially competing in All-Stars, but I shouldn't have lied to Gwen about hoping she'd win if I didn't take the crown. My choice for a winner other than me ultimately would've been Scott after I finished in fifth place. You probably figured that out already from my chart as I wanted him in the finals with me. I initially told her on the day of the merge that I wanted her to win and hoped to go to the finals together, and I meant it at that moment, but secretly changed my mind after I started dating Scott. What didn't change is how I also wanted us to go to the final three together then. When she asked for reassurance in the final five about our finale plans, I should've just told her I wanted to go to the final two with the ginger. Ms. Goth probably would've responded better to that than the chart. We'll see how things go this time around.

"Let's vote for bubble boy tonight. We've lost both challenges that he's been on our team so far, and the guy doesn't belong with us anyway. Cameron's been like a bad luck charm. In the meantime, nature calls." Scott says before heading for the communal bathrooms.

Once he's gone, Gwen asks "You don't plan on voting out Cam, do you? He didn't do anything today that would warrant elimination."

She's right even if that comment is to defend her new pal. Scott admittedly has a point on him not belonging on team villain, but the truth is Ms. Goth has also belonged more on the hero team as well all along. Chris just likes to torture her by insisting she stay as a Vulture. The obvious downside to her competing as a Hamster now is that we wouldn't be teammates. Oh well.

"No, I'd honestly rather send Al packing as he's just a total douchebag." I answer. "Since Scott was already planning to boot Cameron off yesterday before I talked him into voting for Heather, though, it'll probably be harder to change his mind again given their past issues and what likely is a determination to outrank him this season."

"Maybe he'd be more willing to vote with us tonight than Scott." she suggests. "I'll go find him and have no problem axing Alejandro."

The two of us part. Good thing I won't get the flush tonight thanks to my immunity idol even if I somehow get the most votes. However, I highly doubt that'll happen when Gwen and Scott are my allies and obviously won't want me out now, plus Wilkins could very well side with me again here. The only possible way I could receive a majority vote is a 2-1-1-1 total with Mr. Burromuerto voting for me and somehow convincing him to do the same. Very unlikely scenario. That reminds me; I need to visit Chef.

Heading over to the kitchen where I ate meals in season 1, Hatchet can be seen at its entrance in his normal clothing. I wave my hand while approaching him. He already knows why I'm here. The cook compliments "Best of luck at tonight's elimination ceremony, and kudos for taking down that bear earlier." as he pulls the idol out from his pocket and hands it to me.

I reply with "Double thanks. I already know what to do if they don't give me the most votes." and then leave for the cabins. Wait, I should still talk with Zoey. Time to go find her. I change direction and go towards the hotel. She's approaching the front steps. The pigtailed girl still has her Commando look on from earlier. She still looks agitated from the teenage Snooki showing up, but thankfully is calmer now than earlier. I ask her "Has you-know-who resurfaced since the challenge ended?"

"Thankfully no. I've still got the recorders ready if needed. What I really didn't expect was for Mike to take back control of his body during that match with Izzy." Ms. Pigtails answers.

"Me neither. Another surprise was how she somehow sensed Mal was present." I state. "While I have competed with her before and knew she could be unpredictable, that was something else altogether!"

"You know who else could really help us detect Mal?" she inquires. "Dawn from the last season. Her aura-reading powers are kind of disturbing, though can be quite telling of other people."

I respond with "True, but that evil persona as would probably see her powers as a threat and eliminate the aura whisperer at first opportunity if she was competing this season."

"Good point." Zoey relents. "In the meantime, even if I don't get that immunity idol right away, I plan on going to Boney Island tonight as I figured I could find something to help with the Mal problem plus I still feel agitated enough to hit something after Anne Maria showed up today and made moves on Mike even when she knew he's taken. Better to take out my rage in exile than on any remaining players and simply chucking rocks into the water hasn't really helped. I know I don't look or sound so mad right now, but that's only because I'm somehow restraining myself, and winning the challenge helped somewhat lift my spirits. That bitch can really make my blood boil."

You already know I can't tell her about my idol finding. Also, anybody who's watched season 4 could understand Zoey's hatred for Anne Maria. I know I do. Sympathizing with her, I add "I don't blame you for hating her. Good thinking on the Boney Island part."

She replies "Thanks, and here's hoping I find something helpful." before we shake hands and part ways.

I've come to respect the pigtailed girl more than I did when first competing with her. We overall have gotten along better this time around. If I end up voting Zoey off, then it'll probably be because she's a threat in the game and Mal has immunity. Mike is apparently on-and-off ever since yesterday's shovel hit. It's largely up to him to win his inner battle. With Chester showing up, I imagine Svetlana, Vito, and Manitoba Smith could surface as well.

Since I haven't used the confessional in a while, I decide to go there. Thankfully nobody is inside when I arrive. I enter it and tell the camera "Losing another challenge today sucked. There's no denying that. On the plus side, I kicked that bear's ass earlier. It was very satisfying."

I then exit the confessional outhouse. Making my way back to the girls' cabin, I find nobody else is around. Not even Gwen can be seen. I reach in my bags for that law book to pass the time with and somehow feel a violin. Somehow, I forgot I packed that thing. This is a similar model to the one I planned to use in the season 1 talent show before Bridgette accidentally wrecked it. One might argue I'm not as musically skilled as Trent is with his guitar, and he certainly is more widely known for playing an instrument than I am, but I still can play it well. Might as well take the chance to play it again.

I take the violin outside play it. Position and pose starts by fanning your toes and placing your left foot right. OK, you don't have to turn your foot like that, but moving it forward has helped me balance while holding a violin. Even though I haven't played it in a while and am kind of rusty at this plus the violin with me is kind of beat up, I can still make a decent rhythm with it. Cameron unexpectedly shows up about half an hour later and compliments "Very nice work!"

"Thanks." I reply. "I admittedly haven't used this thing in quite some time, so it's reassuring to know somebody feels I still have skill."

"Of course." he adds. "By the way, Gwen told me about your plans to give Alejandro the flush, and I have no reservations about helping ensure that happens."

I give bubble boy a fist bump and tell him "That schmuck's hours are numbered. Maybe we should celebrate his elimination."

He affirms "I like the sound of that! See you at the ceremony." before departing.

Even if I'm not as close to Wilkins as the goth is, I feel like he really could be a friend of mine at this point. The bubble boy at least seems like a vote I can count on. I play my violin for another hour until one of the strings breaks. It was only a matter of time before this gave out anyway. Placing the thing in my bags, I then take out the law book and start reading. Gwen comes back a couple hours later, asking "Did Cameron tell you that he's in on your plan?"

I confirm "He did. We can both rest easy tonight with a secure outcome." and then resume reading.

The goth pulls out a book of her own. We both read until after it gets dark. Scott later knocks on our cabin door. He then tells us "Chris wants us to come over for the elimination ceremony now." and we join him, Alejandro, and Cameron to head over there.

Each of the Hamsters have once again already arrived and been seated. Zoey no longer has her Commando appearance. We take our seats on the losers' logs for the elimination ceremony. Chris then shows up and tells us "OK, before we send another player to the sewers, I have a wee announcement to make. Tonight, the winners get to choose which player is eliminated from the losers' team."

How the fuck did I forget about that twist!? We all start to gasp before the host interrupts with "Hold that gasp, and the losers are the choosers of which winner goes to Boney Island, and the teams are NOT merging. Now you may gasp."

Everybody then gasps.

"And there it is." McLean continues and goes on to say "Now, heroes, who's going home tonight?"

I'm sweating bullets right now as the Hamsters make their choice. Even if they choose me and I use the immunity idol to save myself, Scott or Gwen could easily go home tonight! Maybe they'll pick off Alejandro instead for being a douche. That would be ideal. Cameron's the only one I can guarantee they won't choose to flush tonight as there's no way in hell Zoey and Mike would eliminate a close buddy of theirs like that right then and there. Sam wouldn't want him out so soon either as he's also friends with the bubble boy. Hard to say who Lindsay would most likely target, though; me or Al?

After some inaudible discussion, the blonde announces "We've decided to eliminate…

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Jalapeño. Oops, I meant Alejandro."

THANK GOD FOR THAT! I heavily sigh in relief and wipe the sweat from my forehead. Lindsay getting his name wrong at first doesn't really bother me when I hate his guts. She quickly corrected herself anyway before he could get mad at her for the mistake.

Al groans in defeat and then points to himself as he arrogantly asks them "Why get rid of this gorgeous face when there are other ugly options to choose from?"

He really had to go there!? None of the remaining Vultures are ugly! If anything, Alejandro and Heather have ugly hearts.

"Obviously because you're known to be a royal jerk and are too untrustworthy to let reach the merge if you can be stopped." Sam answers.

Scott then punches Burromuerto in the face, giving him a black eye, and yells "That's for calling the wrong people ugly!"

Thank you, Scott, for that defense. It was well-needed. I knew I made a good choice in becoming your girlfriend.

"Smart thinking from the heroes and a sweet punch from Scott." Chris compliments before anybody can say anything else, and then asks my team "Before Alejandro takes the flush of shame, which hero is going to exile, villains?"

I then answer "Zoey".

"Sounds good to me." Scott says.

"Eh, no objections." states a nonchalant Gwen.

"Why her?" Cameron asks, undoubtedly worried for his friend.

"Because of how aggressive she became in that Commando mode earlier even when outside the ring. Let her vent out any remaining anger away from the rest of us." I explain, and thankfully nobody suspects how this was part of a plan.

He sighs before relenting "Very well. Zoey it is."

Chef then takes the pigtailed girl to Boney Island. Chris gestures for the rest of us to follow him and tonight's loser for the flush. Al complains "This show just got 100% less beautiful!" after being placed inside the toilet.

"Don't flatter yourself; the real beauty here is me." our narcissistic host retorts.

Before this departure, there's something funny I just remembered about tonight's loser. His name has quite a translation. "Al, you know what's fitting about your name?" I ask with a giggle, not caring how he feels about being called that or how he angrily glares at me, and then continue with "Alejandro Burromuerto is Spanish for Alexander Dead Donkey. The Burromuerto part is especially suitable for you. For those who don't know, that's 'Dead Donkey' in English. Another term for donkey is ass. This applies for you when you're known to be quite an ass, also you now are dead in this competition! Adios."

The other remaining contestants snicker at my comment on how tonight's loser is literally an ass. McLean bursts into laughter after asking "Alejandro Dead Donkey?" and adds "His last name is hilarious in English!" before laughing some more, much harder than anyone else did.

Mr. Dead Donkey groans in frustration and insists "It's a very respected name where I come from. Very respected!"

"Whatever. Hold your breath!" our host instructs as he continues to laugh and prepares an umbrella for himself before pressing the button to flush Al, who screams while being flushed. I back away somewhat as the toilet water splash comes closer, but it still unfortunately hits me and every other contestant. A grossed-out Lindsay complains "Ew!"

Chris has now calmed down from his laughter. He collapses his umbrella and chucks it while signing off the episode with "Big brothers, former competitors, surprising twist. Can we top it? You better believe we can. Next time on Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

The Hamsters head for the hotel. Us Vultures make our way to the cabins. If only we could've won today. Those hotel showers would've been very nice to clean off this filthy toilet backsplash. Even though the ones from the communal bathroom are crappy, they'll still get the job done. I go to my cabin and see that Chef has already placed our dinner there: burnt ham. Does he REALLY have to burn the losing teams' food!? I eat some of that while it's still warm and then grab my floss, pajamas, shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and towel before heading over for the showers.

Chef happens to cross my path along the way. I silently give him the idol and then he exits. Just as I arrive at the communal bathrooms, Gwen is walking out with a towel wrapped around her torso. Can't blame her for wanting to clean off at first chance from the toilet splash. I tell the goth "Dinner has arrived at our cabins, so you may as well eat some before it gets cold."

"It's either that or starvation. I really wish we could've gotten some hotel food again." she replies.

I respond with "As do I, but now I need the showers." and then she heads for the cabins.

Good thing I know have the bathroom to myself. I undress and then shower for about twenty minutes. That thankfully gets rid of the bad toilet smell. After putting the pajamas on, I brush and floss my teeth. As I exit and get close to my cabin, Scott asks me "Care for some ham?" while offering me a plate of it in his hand.

"No thanks. I already had some earlier." I decline, though it's still nice to know how considerate he is of me.

"I can't believe the nerve of Alejandro. He's an idiot to call anybody as beautiful as you ugly." my boyfriend remarks before taking a bite of the ham.

Blushing a little at being called "beautiful", I gratefully hug him and say "Hearing you say that means more to me than you know. It's one of those things that make me glad we got together. Insulting my appearance in the way Al did was quite uncalled for."

"Before I forget, you once mentioned this morning he did some 'fucked-up shit' when previously competing. Sam also called him untrustworthy. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly was it he did? I never watched any previous seasons before I joined this show but hope it wasn't any worse than what he did tonight." the ginger inquires with his mouth full.

Here we go. Revealing painful parts of my past to somebody who didn't already know about them. Scott doesn't mean any harm by it, though, and has a right to know. I caution him with "He's done much worse, and I'll warn you now that it's really ugly."

"You can tell me." Scott replies after swallowing.

With a bit of hesitation, I note "First of all, none of this affects what you and I have together. I don't want you to get any wrong ideas."

"Understood. Go on." he encourages and continues to eat.

After taking a deep breath, I state "OK, here's the truth. Alejandro was a new contestant in season 3. He often attracts girls with his charms and looks. This prick takes full advantage of that and shamelessly exploited the affections that female contestants had for him that season. He toyed with their hearts and manipulated them to get himself further in the competition, even pretending to like them back and getting flirtatious to throw them off their game. They didn't see his true nature until it was too late. I unfortunately was one of those girls."

Scott angrily tells me "What an asshole! Good thing I gave him that black eye. I've done bad things myself that I shouldn't have, though would never stoop that low." with a scowl on his face.

"Thank you for punching him, though there's more to it." I inform him. "He exploited my weakened emotional state when I at best was on the rebound after dumping Duncan for cheating on me by kissing our goth teammate Gwen. Yes; the same delinquent Duncan who competed with us this season and got arrested for blowing up McLean's hotel just for the sake of being a jackass. Don't make the same mistake that I did by taking rage out on her instead of him, though, because she was totally unprepared for the moment and felt quite guilty about it afterwards plus HE was the one who made a move on her fully on his own terms. I had been dating Duncan on and off during the first three seasons. Though there were some happy times, it overall was admittedly a strained relationship when we weren't compatible enough for things to last, though we for some reason kept at it regardless until his infidelity. My relationship with him ultimately wouldn't have worked out in the end anyway due to having too many personal differences even if he had stayed faithful. Getting together in the first place was a big mistake on my part and I wish I never with him at all. More negatives than positives came out of that relationship. I don't even remember how we first ended up liking one another. While I did resent the goth for that kiss and became hellbent on eliminating her, I learned the full truth when re-watching that season before the current one began. I also talked things out with Gwen after our first victory this season and made amends with her. What I should've focused more on back then was getting him out of the game instead. Ironically, he would somehow become focused on getting my attention this season during his subsequent relationship with her, and she dumped him for that. Believe it or not, it gives me the sense that he was jealous of you bonding with me even if I didn't become yours before he was voted off. That's also probably at least part of the reason why he hit you in the face with the switch to activate whatever explosive he used on McLean's hotel."

"I'd kick that fucker's ass for all of his shit if he was still here! Let's hope that he rots in jail for life." The ginger spats.

I continue with "I'm grateful you would, and I hope for the same. Even though I admittedly was more demanding in that relationship than I should've been for him to change to fit my preferences and it would've been better to adjust myself to some extent or just break things off, cheating on anybody is inexcusable and unforgivable. Anyway, after the Duncan fiasco, I ended up falling for Al's charms and that schmuck toyed with me and my heart without remorse until I got eliminated. He once even kissed my lips when faking interest in me and pretending to console me over the infidelity, and these days I'm revolted by sharing a kiss with him. I didn't find out I was being tricked until after the season ended. Learning the truth immediately turned me off to him and I've despised him ever since."

"No wonder you wanted to get payback and pushed him in that robot suit towards water when this season began. When I later asked him what your vengeance was for, he only told me that you were mad at him for getting you eliminated." my boyfriend notes.

"That was only part of it. No surprise that he'd downplay the manipulation." I reply. "In the end, the only girl who fell for him in season 3 that he had any actual interest in was yesterday's flushee Heather, but that has nothing to do with why I wanted her out. She needed to go as I already have hated that cunt since the first season for being a general pain in the ass, and Gwen has felt the same way about her, so I knew it would be easier to talk the goth into voting her off than Al. Strategical move on my part. It was also to prove Heather's attempts at trickery—namely that Al was trying to talk others into voting you or Cameron off—weren't as clever as she thought. Furthermore, I've had to put up with her shit for much longer than his; three prior seasons of her compared to only one of him before All-Stars began. Heather and Alejandro deep down still want each other even if they won't easily admit it. She can have that douche all to herself and is largely a female version of him to begin with, except she never took advantage of anybody's affections to get further in the game or faked interest in anyone she didn't truly like. Those two probably would've been the first Vultures I'd vote off if Lightning and Jo hadn't cost us any challenges and the latter hadn't hit me with a leech cannonball. You don't have to worry about Duncan or Alejandro and there's no need to feel jealous of them now that they've been eliminated plus I hate their guts. The only guy I want these days is you and I have no regrets about saying yes when you asked me out last night. Overall, you already have treated me better than Duncan ever did and I feel we get along better than I did with him."

Scott takes a moment to process all of that. He then comments "I'm really sorry you had to go through all of that and promise to never do what those bastards did. You can count on it. Even though I admittedly went further than I should have doing bad things in the last season as you probably know from watching that, I have my limits and wouldn't do such fucked up things. Chris having Fang the shark join me in the catapult when I got eliminated last season made it clear I went too far with my evil antics. Apologies if being sneaky or playing the game dirty before makes you think any less of me."

In response, I state "Thinking less of you just for that alone would make me a hypocrite. Yes, I know about your past and how you played baddie on this show, but the truth is you were never any worse than me in the second or third seasons. There were times when I could be quite vicious. It's only fair that you know how I was when I know how you once were. Seeing myself on camera before returning here was a real wake-up call for how much of a bitch I could be. Owning up to faults wasn't easy at first, but I know that I've also changed for the better since then. It's nice that you've also toned down your mean streak even if it hasn't entirely gone away. Mine hasn't either, but I'm working on that."

"Is this for real?" he asks.

"It is." I affirm. "In fact, before this season began, I saw some of my past self within you when watching Revenge of the Island. No joke. Like you, I was once an evil schemer who played antagonist during season two and more than once tried to throw challenges in season three for a chance to vote someone on my team off, namely Gwen. I regret purposefully trying to lose as that only put a target on my back and I know you've learned not to do so either. My past actions don't mean I'm heartless, though, as I really feel bad about my wrongdoings after re-watching past seasons while Duncan and Al have no shame whatsoever. If it's any consolation, you're an altar boy compared to those pieces of shit."

"That does make me feel better, so thanks." Scott replies.

I tell him "My pleasure. Zoey was also right when she said last season you had a heart, even if it wasn't for the reasons she thought, and you two ended up becoming enemies instead of friends as she might have initially expected to be. There's no doubt you proved during all our time together that you do have a heart, which makes me glad I agreed for us to be a couple. You should feel proud of yourself for becoming a better person than you used to be. I know I am. What initially attracted me to you was your sense of dedication to those who matter to you. Staying loyal means quite a lot, so please do keep that up. I know I've been saying lots and it must've been hard to take all of that in, so thank you for listening."

The two of us then hug as we share another kiss.

"Something I feel I should say is that this is my first relationship and I might not always fully know what I'm doing, so sorry in advance for anything awkward that I say or do." Scott discloses with an embarrassed look on his face, which he also privately stated off-camera after we first got together in the original timeline.

"Nothing for you to be ashamed of. Even if you don't get awkward, it's far better to be inexperienced and faithful than some experienced cheater or someone who goes around toying with hearts. Showing that you care for me and who I am goes a long way. If you can learn from any mistakes made and are willing to improve upon them, then we should be fine." I respond, which makes him smile.

Last time he shared his inexperience with me, I told Scott that it wasn't really a problem for as long as he stayed loyal, was willing to learn what to do, and liked me for who I was, which he did. That still applies. Some people might be turned off by a lack of experience, but I personally feel honored to be his first girlfriend. One can gain experience and insight as well as learn from mistakes when they haven't dated before. Infidelity on the other hand isn't something that can be changed.

Ms. Goth and the bubble boy then show up with four soda cans. "Cameron told me about your plans to celebrate Alejandro's departure, so shall we do that now?" she asks. "An intern left these sodas near the boys' cabin for some reason without stopping by ours."

"Fine by me! Let's have a toast." I reply.

Us Vultures each take and open a can. Wilkins initiates our toast with "To Alejandro's elimination." as he raises his soda.

"To Alejandro's elimination!" the rest of us cheerfully repeat before we all clink our cans together and drink from them.

Even if we lost, tonight is a good night. A major douchebag is gone plus Cameron truly feels more like a friend than before. He also seems to be getting along better with Scott now. Once the four of us finish our sodas, the bubble boy heads over to the boys' cabin and Gwen goes into the girls' one.

"Goodnight, Courtney. I hope to win tomorrow for a change." Scott tells me, not knowing the merge is about to arrive.

"Goodnight to you too, Scott. Winning does sound quite nice." I reply, and then we kiss again before he goes over to his cabin.

After that, I walk into my own cabin to join my goth friend, who is already on the top of one bunkbed. I need sleep and don't care if my breath smells like soda right now. She tells me "While we did lose another challenge, I'm really glad Alejandro of all people was eliminated tonight. It's also nice to see how happy you and Scott look together. Have a nice rest."

"Thanks, and hopefully you sleep well too." I say while climbing into the bunk below her. "Al going home is glorious. Dating Scott has also been wonderful so far. He's been more of a gentleman than one might initially expect. Perhaps falling in love changed him. I know I made the right choice either way in saying yes to him."

Before I fall asleep, my mind starts thinking about the original timeline. 3 wins and 4 losses prior to the merge here. Combining my days in my first run-through as both a Hamster and a Vulture, I had a total of 5 wins and 2 losses back then in this season pre-merge. Sure, it would've been nice to win more, but I'm still glad I was teammates with Gwen and Scott for all the team challenges this time around. Not all of it was in my control, though, as I couldn't have known all of what would happen when starting on a different team in this run-through. I eventually drift to sleep hoping to win the next challenge.

 **No more team challenges! While I already know who will get the first solo victory of this season, you'll have to wait until Chapter 12 comes up to find out.**

 **Reason for elimination: The Hamsters know Alejandro is a big threat in Total Drama AND a generally untrustworthy person, so they couldn't miss the opportunity to give him the flush when possible. Nobody left in the game likes him or wanted to deal with his antics after the teams merged.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Heroic Hamsters: Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey**

 **Villainous Vultures: Cameron, Courtney, Gwen, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: October 31, 2018.**


	12. Boat Racing

**Chapter 12, the merge, has arrived. Let's first reply to reviews that got posted since my last update.**

 **ShadowJcreed: Thanks, I also thought Chapter 11 was a nice Halloween gift for my viewers. It was also nice seeing pencil-lead-guy post a new chapter of his "Total Drama Revenge: Pahkitew Island" fic that day. Not gonna miss Al either, though if there's one area where I feel sorry for him, then it's for the José ordeal. I additionally liked bringing back Zoey's badass commando side to box as that was something I really enjoyed from season 4. Too bad canon season 5 never used that. Lindsay definitely would've refused to fight Beth if they were pitted against one another.**

 **GlitchWarrior: You're about to find out.**

 **xtremexavier: Read and reviewed, though don't expect me to do so for every chapter. Glad you appreciate Alejandro going home.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Very satisfying for me as well.**

 **TheNoobyBoy: "Always does the best" and "she wins everyone" are exaggerations, and while Chef does respect our time-traveler, I wouldn't call them friends here. Ms. CIT definitely was on bad terms with Jo, Duncan, Heather, and Alejandro when they left the game. Sorry if you felt she did too much, though. I can say now that Courtney isn't going to just godplay her way through the game. Nice to know somebody appreciates Lindsay being useful.**

 **That British Guy: So do I, but we can't always get what we want from the main series.**

 **duel crystal: In the future, I would prefer if you posted your comments here in English. Now, assuming I've correctly translated your review, I'm glad you find the story interesting and enjoy its premise. The boat challenge is indeed coming in this chapter. You'll see what I do with Scott.**

 **Guest: Thank you.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Much appreciated!**

 **Gage the Hedgehog: Glad you liked it, and more has now arrived!**

 **Time for our first post-merge challenge!**

Gwen and Scott are talking outside my cabin when I wake up. What could that be about? In any case, today is the merge and I'm glad both made it this far with me. I may as well listen in.

My boyfriend tells the goth "Gwen, there's something I could use a female's perspective on. How might a girl feel if a guy told her she was his first kiss? Courtney is the first person I ever locked lips with, and while she doesn't seem to have any issue with being my first ever girlfriend, kissing somehow seems like it could be another story. Do I have anything to worry about when I'm 17 and lack previous experience?"

I get dressed as I pay attention to this chat. It's a good thing I'm away from the windows and neither can see me.

She answers him with "Some girls could be surprised. Others will want guys with more experience. It really varies. I personally wouldn't mind being a guy's first so long as he doesn't go on and on about never doing so before. If Courtney doesn't have a problem with how this is your first relationship, then I doubt a first kiss would bother her either. I admit I overheard you confess this is the first time you've dated anyone. Just treat her well and you should be fine. Should you ever tell her what you just shared with me, just don't go on and on about your lack of experience with lip locking or dating. That's likely to be a turn off for just about anyone I know. An occasional mention is fine, but don't go overboard."

"Got it." he says. "On another note, I learned about what Alejandro did in season three last night and it was really fucked up, but I somehow couldn't quite tell if he ever officially dated any of the girls who liked him then or just got flirtatious. Duncan is also a major asshole for all the shit he's done."

"If you're worried about Courtney ever dating Alejandro in between you and Mr. Delinquent, then relax because they never became a couple. Pretty sure your relationship together is her first since dumping him as I can't think of anybody she dated outside the show after the third season ended. There was only some flirting even though Al had no real interest in her. She's undoubtedly glad these days that they didn't get together. Nobody except maybe Heather got with him in season three. I can't quite tell whether they're officially together yet, but she's hesitant to admit liking him no matter how obvious it became that she did and still does. Alejandro's somewhat more open about reciprocating Heather's affections. In the meantime, I should probably make sure she's up now to avoid sleeping through the next challenge." Gwen adds.

Thankfully I finish putting my clothes on before she knocks on the door.

"Courtney, are you awake?" the goth inquires. "You don't want Chris barging in here to get you ready for whatever today has."

"Yes, and I couldn't help hearing your conversation out there. Just getting dressed before coming outside. Being Scott's first kiss is an honor and I had indeed been single from the day I dumped Duncan until two nights ago. I also agree about not going on and on about inexperience as that would get to be rather much. Any prior romantic prospects with Al or the delinquent were never meant to be and I'm definitely glad I never dated Alejandro, who mostly would've been just a rebound anyway." I answer before going outside.

Does Chef have breakfast ready yet? Here's hoping we don't get anything with mold like yesterday's toast. I know from winning the last team challenge in the original timeline that the winners get a lovely spaghetti and meatballs dinner. If only we could've gotten that as it sure was better than the losers' burnt ham from last night. After I walk outside, the cook can be seen carrying a bowl with brown bananas. It sadly doesn't surprise me to see them in subpar condition. He just drops the bowl in front of our cabin and then leaves.

The three of us simply shrug our shoulders and each take a banana. Cameron joins us as we eat and takes one for himself. He seems grossed out by how the things are no longer ripe, but it's either this or starvation. If I win today's challenge, then my stomach can thankfully have something better because I know winners still get to spend a night in the hotel. Even though I did remember Sierra getting the last pre-merge flush in the original timeline, I still don't know how I forgot that we Vultures chose to eliminate her then as Chris had the winners send the loser home. It's now coming back to me how Wilkins firmly insisted on booting that nutcase off due to her insanity and disturbing attachment to him. I can't blame the bubble boy, plus the rest of the team was also irked by her crazy antics anyway, so we didn't have trouble agreeing to eliminate her. He only lied about the choice being made "reluctantly" to protect her feelings. It's a good thing she went out earlier this time around.

That night was the only episode prior to the final four where someone got eliminated without any marshmallow distribution, even if only the first few ceremonies distributed those before a flushee was declared. Since Duncan had already been disqualified during this challenge in the original timeline and arrested for blowing up McLean's mansion, he spared Cameron after a rigged vote and handed out marshmallows to every remaining player, though our host giving those out was cut from the episode. The final four probably didn't hand any to the contestants because it involved a double elimination. All in all, Sierra getting the first boot has made things better than the original timeline as nobody had to put up with her antics for as long. Hopefully Cody gets a restraining order on her if he hasn't already. Anyway, after eating that banana, I go brush and floss my teeth while I still have the chance. Chris instructs "Attention campers, please gather out front near the hotel." shortly afterwards, and we all make our way there.

Chef Hatchet has brought Zoey back from exile. No signs of damage. Cameron seems impressed by this and inquires "Wow, you survived a whole night all alone on Boney Island without so much as a scratch? I'm impressed! How'd you pull it off?"

"Pure luck, really. I mainly had to stay away from this one bear with a big X marked on the front of its cave. It seemed quite angry." the pigtailed girl informs him.

Somebody just found the bear I had to take my immunity idol from. That had to have been eventful.

"Good thing it didn't hurt you!" Mike happily adds.

"Thanks, and I figured that if you made it out safe, then I could too." she replies before they share a brief hug.

"NO AFFECTION RIGHT NOW!" Chris yells in their faces with his speakerphone.

Wanting people to focus on the upcoming boat race challenge is one thing, though yelling at them like that was just plain unnecessary, especially when they only had a short moment. The couple starts groaning and rubbing their ears in pain.

"I have a big announcement! Today, the teams are being merged!" McLean then states.

Every other contestant subsequently gasps in surprise, and I only join in to avoid suspicion even though I already knew this was happening.

"That's right!" he continues. "From now on, challenges are for individual winners only, and EVERYONE is at risk of getting the not-so-royal flush."

"High score; I finally made it!" a joyful Sam proclaims.

The gamer didn't get to reach the merge when competing in season four, so I understand being excited about reaching that for the first time. I know I felt accomplished in season two for getting there (even though I had to enter the competition through a lawsuit about halfway into the season with only three team challenges left). To this day, I still sometimes wonder how far I could've gone in season one if Harold didn't rig the votes against me. He ended up getting voted off next for costing our team the challenge anyway and perhaps I would've made it further by not screwing up like him. Oh well. At least there won't be any vote tampering without consequences this season when I got Chris to promise he'd disqualify anybody who tried that.

Our host's phone then rings. He looks at that and tells us "I have to take this. It's my stylist." before answering it with "Yeah, how come my socks don't match my shirt?" and the stylist goes into some long rant, which I can't make out the words for.

Meanwhile, I notice the bubble boy, Mr. Multiple personalities, and Ms. Pigtails all conversing with one another.

"Stick together no matter what?" she asks.

"Friendship finale version 2.0, here we come!" Wilkins affirms with a fist raised in the air.

The two had planned to go to the finals together in season 4 after Mike was booted off, but that failed when Lightning eliminated her. It won't happen here either if I can help it.

"Hey, um, can I get in on that?" Mike asks, and both smile as they nod their heads yes towards him, with Cameron saying "Of course!"

If it ever came down to Mike, Zoey, and Cameron in the final three, then I'm sure the bubble boy would understand the former two wanting to have a couple's finale. Gwen has made clear she'd feel the same about Scott and me going to the finals with her in third place should we make it to the top three instead. With Lindsay and Sam on their own, it's hard to say how much longer they'll last.

Once the stylist is apparently done talking, Chris hangs it up and says "Mmhmm, yeah, guy thinks I'm colorblind. As if!" before walking over to a map some interns brought out and telling us "Any who, this week's challenge is a regatta around the island."

"A re-what-a?" asks a confused Lindsay.

"Regatta, it's a boat race." he answers.

"I don't know why you didn't just say that, or how it's like _Mario Kart_ except with boats." Sam interjects.

"Because I'm classy, hello?" our host insists, adding "First person to successfully circumnavigate the entire island wins immunity AND a night at the spa hotel. Don't worry; Chef will keep things interesting by providing some obstacles for you." and finishing with a chuckle as us contestants all look worried plus Gwen and Scott gasp a bit out of concern.

Even though I knew the cook would add obstacles to the race, I can't put my finger on what exactly those were, and the thought still worries me. All I remember is at one point a bunch of coconuts he dropped hit my head (in an area Chris calls "Coconut Alley") and almost knocked me out of the boat I rode with Ms. Goth. Good thing she saved me from falling. McLean still isn't done instructing us yet. The screen shows potential boat options as he continues with "Some of the boats are sea-worthy, some are sink-er-ific, and they're all first-come-first-serve starting NOW!", yelling that last word into his megaphone.

This prompts some cheers from the others. I on the other hand just start running. If Mal shows up, then hopefully I can get an intact boat before he sabotages them just like in the original timeline. Good thing Gwen and I beat him to it then. Maybe I could team up with her here again for this race. Either way, I need to get to the boats as soon as I can. I'd only partner up with someone if they can catch up with me.

Behind me, I can hear Sam losing his breath and mutter "Need power-up."

"Think of how Dakota would want you to win." Lindsay encourages before realizing her mistake with a gasp, going "Oops!"

"Power restored!" the re-energized gamer exclaims, and I turn to see him pick up speed, even blasting past me!

Who knew he could be so fast? Sure, I knew from watching Revenge of the Island that his love for Ms. Milton could motivate him even before they became a couple, but this is something else altogether! It's sort of like how I can be a motivation for Scott to do well in challenges. Dakota once encouraged Sam to win the challenge for his team by rescuing Lindsay from the yeti on Boney Island when he was low on energy (though the blonde ended up consoling that animal and became its friend) and hearing her cheer for him gave an extra boost to keep going and almost secure victory. That yeti ended up chucking the gaming nut off to the side and he failed, though still came far closer to succeeding than anyone else on the team.

It was much like a reenactment of the original _Donkey Kong_ game where Mario had to rescue Pauline from the title gorilla. The yeti even chucked barrels at him as he made his way up the ramp and smashed some with a hammer. Sam was voted off that night, though Dakota was able to give him her phone number before he left, which unfortunately was dropped by accident when he got flung by the catapult. That made it clear she had started to reciprocate Mr. Gamer's affections, especially after showing sadness when the piece of paper with her number on it got dropped. Milton really shouldn't have had to get mutated, though Sam accepting her for who she was afterwards and still wanting a relationship is something I highly respect him for.

Anyway, our gamer makes his way to the boats and it doesn't seem like he can be stopped now. I can't catch up to him before he reaches the docks. As he gets there, Chris can be heard announcing "And Sam takes the lead!" before Sam stops for a moment.

The gaming nut looks at the camera once he gets there and says "Dakota Milton, if you're watching right now, then this performance is dedicated to you!" before blowing a kiss and jumping into a boat and taking off.

Calling me surprised would be an understatement. He even took the boat I used last time around. My goth pal then somehow catches up to me just as I reach the docks and gets into the same boat that I do. This time I take the one with a roof. No coconuts on my head are welcome today! Teaming up again sounds just fine when she could keep up. The important thing now is winning. Sorry Scott, but you had to be fast enough to join us. Gwen closes the doors behind her as I start up the boat and she glances back in the windows to spot any of the others.

"Anybody close behind us?" I ask.

Gwen chuckles and answers "Only Lindsay, whose boot heels just popped that inflatable raft. Things like that make me glad I have flat footwear."

Another dim-witted moment for the blonde. She should've known to be more cautious with such footwear. Somebody made a poor choice, though it admittedly is kind of funny.

"Same with me." I admit. "Now let's catch up to Sam!"

Then I speed up our boat. Maybe we'll win the race after all. Hold on, I just remembered something: Chris will allow the winner to take a guest of their choice into the hotel tonight. If Gwen and I can win this, then I'll invite Scott which lets me spend the night with both my boyfriend AND my friend! Since there's also the option to not take anyone at all (which Alejandro chose when he won this challenge in the original timeline), the goth could do perhaps do that if she can't decide on who else to bring in.

Up ahead, Mr. Gamer is shown successfully dodging coconuts that Chef drops from above. Uh-oh. The obstacles have begun! Good thing I got a better boat this time around for them. Gwen quite understandably looks concerned at the sight. Hopefully none of those coconuts break our windows. Sam grabs one of the nearby coconuts and chucks it behind him. It hits our boat, but thankfully there's no damage. Who could've guessed that playing _Mario Kart_ would help him as much as it has?

Chris can be heard announcing "Courtney and Gwen reach Coconut Alley!"

The goth understandably looks worried for a moment, but then remembers we have this roof. Only that gets pelted as the coconuts fall. Off to the side, I see Mike and Zoey riding together in a boat. Wait a moment; that's good news! It fortunately suggests Mal didn't sabotage the boats this time and leave only a raft intact. Hopefully the coconuts don't bring out that demon. I wouldn't mind if his other personalities surfaced, though. They'd be a welcome sign Mal hasn't been dominating his body so much. One of those hits his face, and then the multi-personality teen turns into Chester and complains "Watch where you drop those things!" as he angrily shakes a fist at the cook.

So much better than Mal showing up! I guess things right now for him are at least closer to what they were before that first shovel hit. Perhaps he got rid of the demon earlier this time around after all. Either way, I still should keep a watch on him. I also feel worried for Scott. How far in this race can he get? In the meantime, I should focus on the water ahead of me. If only I could remember what obstacle comes up next. Chef drops something up ahead. I look closer. It's a stick of dynamite! Gwen and I scream in terror as I swerve to avoid that. While it was probably defused by the lake water when landing there, this was still a close call. Hold on, Duncan used one of these to blow up McLean's mansion, getting him disqualified from the game and arrested. Did I mention that I haven't seen Chris in the spa hotel this time around? Our host apparently didn't think to do so this time after the explosion, or maybe snuck in and out when nobody was looking. Perhaps Chef arranged something else for him after the explosion in this timeline. Oh well.

Re-focusing on the race, Gwen looks to the side, presumably for any other obstacles or contestants.

"What do you see out there?" I inquire.

"Mike and Zoey got ahead of us, but the dynamites seem to have run out." she informs me.

I reply with "Definitely glad those explosives are done for." as I drive the boat forward.

"You know, I can take the wheel if your arms ever need a break." the goth offers.

"That's quite thoughtful." I thank her. "However, I feel fine for now."

We continue onwards. I just now remembered the next obstacle: a pit of piranhas. Zoey purposefully endangered herself there in the original timeline to test if Mike was around. He was on the boat I have now, and concern for her safety did briefly bring him back, but then Mal quickly resumed control of his body and impersonated him as he rescued the pigtailed girl after a fake delay only to avoid suspicion. That was one thing from this episode I do know about the evil persona from re-watching the season. She took that as a sign her boyfriend was in control instead of his inner demon. Now that Mal doesn't have as much (if any) control and the real Mike has already teamed up with her for this race, it makes me curious how Mr. Multiple Personalities will affect things.

In any case, I notice off to the sides that the remains of our host's blown up mansion are still left in place. Not sure whether to be shocked by that. The piranhas snap at our boat shortly afterwards. Those are more of a nuisance overall than a destruction. Gwen grabs a stick lying nearby and tries to whack some of them away. They quickly eat up most of the stick and she drops it into the lake. I then hear Scott screaming. That can't be good! I turn to see him held up with two poles tied together and flapping his arms in fear while dangling over a hungry Fang, who is caught in some rope loop tied on the poles. Cameron and Lindsay are holding onto those as they stand on a raft. The sight reminds me of how Wilkins got the idea to do this to the ginger before in my first run-through to catch up to everyone else.

I retract everything I ever said about bubble boy potentially being my friend. He'll pay for this as nobody puts my boyfriend in such danger and gets away with it when I'm around! When one of the boats was just sinkable and useless, I'm guessing the blonde either crashed that other remaining boat when trying to drive it or couldn't figure out how to even start it up and just joined these guys as her only remaining option. As I growl in anger at Mr. Wilkins, Gwen suggests "I should probably take the wheel; it's never good to drive with such anger."

"Be my guest. I need to throw something!" I snap, and she starts driving the boat as I look for disposable objects on board.

Only a couple of empty plastic bottles can be found. They'll have to do for now. I chuck them at bubble boy and spat "How dare you torture Scott like that!?"

"There was no other way to speed up our raft!" he calls back before they go out of earshot.

Neither of my bottles hit him. They don't make any contact with the raft or that shark either. I don't care if Cameron is trying to win the race. He WILL pay for his actions towards the ginger. You can count on that for sure.

"Gwen, whatever happens, don't let them win!" I bitterly state.

She speeds up our boat, not needing any further prompting. We pass by the raft-riding trio (duo if one doesn't count Scott dangling rather than standing) as well as Zoey and Mike. Can we reach Sam in time? Regardless, I admittedly am impressed that the gamer started off as well as he did. Our boat catches up to him a couple minutes later. He's getting close to the finish line! I can hear Chris announce "All the boats are in the final stretch! Who's going to win tonight's immunity?"

"Me!" the gaming nut proclaims as he speeds up his boat.

I turn towards Gwen and question "Can this thing go any faster?"

"I wish it could; the thing's already at top speed." she responds, which makes me sigh dejectedly.

Up ahead, I see a certain somebody has already crossed the finish line. That sucks. Our host informs everyone "Against all odds, Sam wins!", and the race winner cheers for his victory.

It does provide some consolation that Cameron lost today as he doesn't deserve it for putting Scott in such peril. Turning back, I see my boyfriend scream and fly in the air. Fang must've bitten his ass before he somehow got flung up like when I first lived through the season. The ginger lands face flat on the raft. Poor guy. I watch and listen more closely as Scott angrily tells Wilkins "Your turn to be fish food!" before pushing him into the lake for payback, who screams as he falls towards the water.

Some of my anger then subsides and is replaced with a bit of satisfaction. Lindsay asks my boyfriend "Did you seriously have to do that?"

"100% yes." he answers. "The guy had it coming for using me as bait."

Chances are I would've done the same thing if in the ginger's position. Fang approaches the bubble boy, who is shaking with fear, and roars. The shark then sniffs him, and then leaves. A bewildered Scott asks "Seriously!?" before sighing in frustration and quipping "Guess he wanted a meal, not a snack. Get back up here and start paddling!" as Lindsay helps him onto the raft and they paddle it by hand.

Up ahead, Chris and Chef are laughing hard. Once we cross the finish line, McLean tells the camera "Courtney and Gwen take second place, not that it matters." and continues with "Mike and Zoey take third." as they cross before concluding "And Cameron, Lindsay, and Scott may have come in last, but they were definitely the funniest!" once that trio finishes.

"There's nothing funny about sharks attacking Scott!" I bitterly snap as I exit my boat along with Gwen.

"I meant for the 'a meal, not a snack' bit." the host clarifies and then resumes laughing his ass off before going "Oh, my sides! Oh!" as he grasps those.

"Eh, I've heard funnier." Lindsay shrugs.

As Cameron reaches the docks, I growl and send him a death glare. He nervously gulps. Once everybody has gathered at the docks, McLean states "Sam, as the winner of today's challenge, you get immunity AND a night at the spa hotel! You can also bring one person along with you."

"Can I call over Dakota to spend the night?" the gamer eagerly asks. "I really miss her."

"Not when she isn't even competing this season, especially if still mutated. I don't want that hotel destroyed." Chris answers.

Sam sighs dejectedly. He then adds "In that case, no thank you on guests.", which prompts disappointed groans from the other contestants, including me.

I don't blame him for just wanting a night alone with her, though going back to the hotel would be welcome. You already know I'd take Scott in the hotel with me if I got the chance. Here's hoping I win again sooner rather than later.

"As for the rest of you, prepare for a flush!" the host continues.

Wait, he didn't pre-maturely instruct us this time around to go vote when we aren't supposed to until nighttime. Chef would tell us off-camera in the original timeline that it was too soon for voting and we should come back later in the night as Chris wasn't fully thinking straight due to the loss of his mansion. Speaking of the cook, I need to get my invincibility idol from him. Better head for the dining hall where he makes meals.

On my way over, Hatchet can be seen opening the building's doors with a key. Not wanting to attract anybody else's attention, I just silently follow him inside. He tells me "I'm not sure how much longer this will keep up, but you know what to do if you don't get the most votes tonight." while handing over the idol.

"Yes, I most definitely do." I reply and put the idol in my pocket before exiting.

Once outside the dining hall, I decide to walk around the camp grounds to kill some time. I come across some rocks after about 45 minutes, and then spend a couple of hours chucking those and sticks into the lake. It helps vent out some of my remaining anger towards Mr. Wilkins without getting myself in trouble. With a calmer head, I go back towards the cabins. Since the teams have merged, there's now one cabin with all the males on one side and all the females on the other, which of course excludes the winner staying in the hotel.

Only Zoey is in the girls' side of the cabin when I arrive. Just my luck as we needed to talk anyway. I ask her "Other than when he turned into Chester during the race earlier, has Mike been in control of himself today?"

"He thankfully has." the pigtailed girl affirms with a smile. "I still think we should keep those recorders in case Mal comes up, though."

"Likewise." I agree. "If you get eliminated before him or me, then you should keep them in a certain spot we can remember so I could use those to bring the main man back when needed."

"Promise not to vote for me tonight?" she inquires.

"As long as it's a two-way deal, yes." I promise.

"Not a problem." Zoey replies. "Regarding a location, I'll go with under the cabin. Probably near one of its posts or the staircase."

"Go ahead and do that now before you forget." I add.

"Good thinking." she responds and then does just that.

I then reach into my bags for that law book I was reading. Inside of that, I feel a notebook. Did I pack some sort of sketch pad into this thing? Oh right; that's what I used for creating the idiotic chart that spelled my end in the original timeline. My lapse in judgement allowed Mike/Mal to find that in the confessional outhouse and use it to orchestrate my elimination. While I'm certain both he and Scott voted me off that night, I'm not mad them for it because I voted for myself then as I wanted to prove to Gwen that I truly was sorry. I also already sensed I was going home anyway after losing the challenge. At first, I lied and said the chart meant nothing in some poor attempt to save myself from getting the boot. After Scott dumped me off-camera for the chart, I got more bitter towards him than I should've been. He had every right to be mad at me for it.

Eventually I realized I had to own up to my faults and cut the bullshit in order to have any chance of repairing my friendship with the goth. I then did something very rare of me (at the time) and gave a sincere apology where I said I shouldn't have made the chart at all and I desperately begged for Gwen to not vote me off as I still wanted to be friends. That's when she said I had to vote myself off in order to prove she could trust me. If I agreed to do so, then Ms. Goth would vote for Scott and try to get Zoey to do the same.

I was initially happy with the thought of being safe, but then I realized after losing the challenge that I'd probably be out of allies if the ginger got the most votes instead of me and I inevitably would get eliminated without immunity next episode even with Gwen on my side. There's no doubt I would've missed having him on the island. It was too late to change things and I had to live with the consequences no matter what. I later even admitted out loud I had been a bad friend towards Gwen when urging her again not to vote for me once the elimination ceremony came, which she said she wouldn't do if I voted for myself. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't dare vote myself off, but I had no other way to regain the trust of someone who went out of her way to make amends with me only for that to be ruined by my selfish desire for victory.

In between the challenge and the elimination ceremony, something the cameras didn't show was me saying sorry to Scott for being a cunt and how I assured him that while making that chart was wrong, I truly wanted him to go to the finals with me and pleaded for his forgiveness. He angrily refused and insisted we could never get back together after what I did that day. It made me feel so guilty that I cried after he stormed off that night. I had lost a loyal guy who truly loved me, and I deeply regretted planning to take advantage of his affections in the finale, thinking he would just let me win. His heart was obviously broken even if no tears were visible.

You of course know I won't repeat that fiasco. I made a solemn vow after that night to become a better person even if it took a long time to get there. It's still a work in progress with some bumps in the road. Gwen and Scott both deserve better than what the past Courtney Gomez did. He can't be blamed for refusing to trust or forgive me even after the season ended when I occasionally called to make amends (remember that we exchanged numbers before our relationship ended). I'm respectively going to be a better friend and girlfriend to each than I was in my first run-through. Quite frankly, I only have myself to blame for leaving the game on bad terms with both back then.

Anyway, back to this pad of paper, I decide to make a drawing of Scott dumping garbage waste onto Chris. It's basically the same as dumping trash onto more trash. I'm not a professional artist by any stretch of the imagination, but this can still be an amusing piece. Half an hour later, the sketch is complete. Gwen has entered the cabin by this point. I show it to her and the pigtailed girl, asking "Have you ever seen trash get poured on top of more trash?"

The three of us share a good laugh that lasts for around 15 minutes. Nice to know they appreciate my joke. A certain ginger is bound to enjoy that as well. I decide to show him. He unsurprisingly loves it based on the smile on his face. Scott snickers and compliments "Great creation, and I needed something amusing to brighten my mood."

"Nice to have a fan." I thank him. "Feel free to keep it."

"I will!" he happily tells me and takes it to his side of the cabin.

It's safe to say I'm in a much better mood as well. I then find my law book and resume reading that. After it gets dark, Lindsay comes into the cabin and informs us "Time to go vote someone off."

Everybody leaves the cabin and heads for the elimination ceremony. Sam has already arrived. The other guys show up shortly afterwards. Like the other contestants, I take a seat on one of the logs and wait for further instruction. When the ceremony begins, Chris announces "Good news! As a reward for making it to the merge, there will be no Boney Island for any of you tonight!", and the rest of us cheer excitedly before he continues with "OK, it's voting time!"

Like in the original timeline, the winner gets the first vote. That means Sam kicks things off here instead of Alejandro. I follow him once he exits the confessional. My vote tonight is for Cameron because of that Fang ordeal. I write "Don't use Scott to attract sharks!" on the front, and then exit after signing my name on the back. Mike then goes after me. In my first run-through, Mal was the last one to vote, which of course gave a perfect opportunity to tamper with the votes. I do realize it can come off as ironic in a way how I'm voting for the person who I tried to prevent getting a rigged vote against, but he needs to go after using my boyfriend as bait for the shark.

Anyway, I guess Mr. Multiple Personalities going earlier than before helps prove Mike is in control now instead of his evil persona. That of course is quite welcome. Zoey votes after he does, followed by Cameron, next Lindsay, then Scott, and finally Gwen. I don't really remember the original voting order other than who went first or last aside from how I went fourth, though all that matters now is that nobody (including Mal) rigs the results and that it's a fair outcome no matter what. Time for the verdict. Once Chris is done reviewing each vote and all the footage, he announces "The votes have been tallied and tonight's flush-o-shame recipient is…

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Courtney!"

I smugly tell our host "I beg to differ." as I pull the immunity idol out from my pocket and show it to him.

Everyone else except for Chef gasps in shock. Sure, I knew I'd be safe with this thing, but I admittedly didn't expect to get the majority vote tonight. Time to find out who's getting flushed instead.

"OK, I wasn't planning on that. Chef really should've told me the idol had been found!" our host tells us as he takes the idol from me.

The cook defends himself with "It would add drama and probably boost ratings when kept secret until now!"

Not sure if he means that or is just making things up on the spot to please him. Regardless, McLean relents "Fair point. I'll now make things even more dramatic!" and grabs a plate of marshmallows before telling us "Here's how things will now go: Sam obviously gets the first marshmallow for winning the race. Courtney gets the next one for using the immunity idol to nullify all votes against her. Whoever got the second most votes tonight will get flushed instead."

He throws one to both of us. The gamer cheers "Woo-hoo, high score for Samuelson!"

"I'll also say that Gwen, Lindsay, Mike, and Zoey are safe." our host adds and gives them each a marshmallow.

That leaves the bubble boy and my boyfriend in the bottom two. Mr. Multiple Personalities and Ms. Pigtails seem very concerned for their friend. I'm quite worried as well and start sweating. What if I accidentally caused Scott's elimination? The guys exchange nervous looks as Chris continues with "Cameron and Scott, one of you is getting flushed tonight."

"This is so nerve-wracking!" Wilkins exclaims.

"I bet it is. That means I'm doing my job right." McLean replies and chuckles before announcing "Now, the final marshmallow goes to…

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Scott!"

The ginger and I sigh in relief as our host gives him the last marshmallow. Mike then consoles his friend with "Sorry buddy. Not sure who voted for you or why, but you deserved to go further." and gives him a handshake.

"Nobody gets away with using me as bait for Fang!" Scott snaps, making it obvious he voted for Cameron.

"Agreed. Bubble boy had to go after that." I add.

"I said afterwards that I was sorry!" says Wilkins.

"It was too little and too late when you did." my boyfriend bitterly responds.

"While using him to attract a shark was wrong, I'll still miss you, Cam." Zoey tells tonight's flushee, and they exchange a goodbye hug.

"Same to you, though I'm glad I at least made the merge again." the bubble boy states.

"So long, pal." says Sam as he gives him a fist-bump.

"Flushing time! Cameron, come with me." McLean interjects, and then takes him to the giant toilet to flush him away.

The rest of us leave without bothering to wait for our host to sign off the episode. I really envy Sam for getting that hotel tonight. Scott and I should be there at some point. There's no reasonable doubt the ginger would take me as a guest if he has the chance after winning. As stated before, I would do the same for him. That would give us some nice alone time. No, I'm still not doing anything R-rated with my boyfriend while the season is still running. Making out with some feeling up is the furthest I can imagine us going before he turns 18.

Once I reach the cabin, Lindsay asks me "If that idol was in the Fun Zone, then how did you get it without anybody noticing?"

Didn't think she'd inquire about that. Good thing I know how to respond without giving away my time travel. I truthfully tell her "I explored some bushes and such on Boney Island before reaching the entrance to Fun Zone. The smashed windows and Duncan's carved initials made it clear he had at least reached the door and left his mark. By the way, you have my respect AND gratitude for getting your team to vote him off early. Thank you also for giving Alejandro the flush. After seeing the delinquent's mark, I decided to climb over the wall with some rope I had with me as the windows looked too small for me to squeeze through and I didn't want to risk getting stuck. I then was lucky enough to collect the idol without getting harmed, though it was a close call with all those mutants around. The cameras inside there weren't recording anything back then, so nobody here saw what I did in Fun Zone during the nighttime. Chef only knew after he came to pick me up and didn't want Chris to know right away, so the cook kept that idol with him and gave it to me for elimination ceremonies until I got the most votes, which was tonight."

"Happy to get rid of them, and WOW on the idol!" the blonde compliments in amazement with widened eyes and leaves after adding "Now I need to go use the bathroom."

That must be the most civil interaction I've had with Lindsay in quite some time. While I would of course have to apologize to her for previously being bitchy before I could call us friends, it felt good to not have any discernible tension between us tonight. Chef shows up shortly afterwards with a soup of some sort for dinner. I know from getting this in the original timeline that it isn't half bad, but I obviously would much rather have hotel food or even more of that fish I cooked on Boney Island. Having some of that secret spice DJ's mother uses would probably help it taste better. Oh well. I eat some while it's still warm. Scott and Gwen join me.

The goth seems disappointed that Cameron went home tonight. She then smiles when I tell both "Hard to believe I had the most votes tonight and used the idol to save myself, though I'm glad none of us got flushed."

"Me too." Gwen agrees.

"I'm amazed you got that over there as soon as you did. In fact, it makes your brains even more appealing than they already were." the ginger says.

"Thank you for that." I reply and kiss him on the cheek.

"Get a room!" Gwen teases with a chuckle. "Just kidding."

"You really had to go there, Gwen?" Scott asks her.

"Yes, I did. It helped give us some light-heartedness." Ms. Goth insists.

I admit "Can't deny that." with a slight giggle.

"The drawing you made earlier was definitely funnier." he adds.

We then laugh for a few minutes thinking about that as we finish the soup.

Spending time with both like this is of course wonderful. Gwen truly has been a good friend ever since we patched things up and Scott of course is a great boyfriend. I hope to stay in touch with both after the season ends. That reminds me; I need to at least get Gwen's number before she leaves. Having her Skype and/or email would also be nice. I take two pieces of paper and write my number, Skype, and email on each. Scott takes one and the goth takes the other as I tell them "Here's how to reach me after the season ends".

They take the hint, and both write down their own contact information, giving those pieces to me. Better keep these safe. I already had Scott's number stored on my phone in the original timeline, though never got the chance to fully memorize it before that wish to start over with him was granted and I got flung back in time. By the time I get back outdoors after putting them in my bag, Gwen has disappeared, leaving just the ginger and me around.

"Care for a walk in the moonlight, just the two of us?" he asks me with a slight blush.

"I'd love that." I affirm, and we hold hands while heading off.

Would he have gotten as romantic as this in my first run-through if we never broke up? Either Sam has really helped him with relationships even more than I expected, or he's probably going off some sort of whim. I regardless do enjoy what we have now. While it was adorable in a certain way seeing him get flustered and nervous around me (which was probably at least in part because of how I'm the only girl he's ever dated), I do like seeing a smoother side that's more confident with his lady interactions. The two of us walk around Wawanakwa for roughly an hour before he leads me to the top of that cliff from our first challenge of the season.

"Come over here for an unsupervised swim? How daring of you!" I joke with a chuckle.

"Very funny." he sarcastically replies. "The real reason was to get the best view of the moon, and to try something I've wanted to do for a long time."

"What would that-" I inquire before getting cut off when his lips meet mine.

A passionate kiss in the moonlight? Fine by me! I press my lips back into his as he puts his arms around my back and I put mine over his shoulders. The kiss lasts for about 20 seconds. We catch our breath as he tells me "I once saw my sister Albertha smooching one of her boyfriends on top of a hill at nighttime. Since she seemed to really like it, I didn't think it would hurt to try that if I got the chance with somebody. The truth is I've wanted to do so with you for quite a while."

I respond with "You weren't wrong." and smile.

"If I wasn't already in l-love before you found the idol against all odds, then I undoubtedly was upon that reveal." Scott continues. "I-I love you, Courtney. You're not only gorgeous, but also one smart cookie. Did I ever tell you now gice-no, NICE, your eyes also are to look at? They've got a certain sparkle I can't resist."

That's right; he did say he liked my eyes after we first got together in the original timeline! No wonder he liked staring at my face. Scott also once later said I looked "gice" when trying to compliment me, apparently mixing up "good" and "nice". Forgivable as he meant well and quickly corrected himself anyway both here and when I first lived through the season. I answer "Well, you did now." and briefly kiss him back before continuing with "I love you too, Scott, and can surely say you treat a lady well when you care for her. Don't ever change that about yourself. Being a gentleman with me as you have so far won't steer you wrong. You're also pleasing to the eyes and your brains are appealing too. We better get back to the main camp grounds soon, though, or Chris could get suspicious."

He then releases his arms from my back and I release mine from his shoulders. The two of us make our way back to the cabin with smiles plastered to our faces. Since we're now just going straight to there from the cliff instead of around the campus, it doesn't take as long to get back. I go into the girls' side of the cabin and he heads into the boys' side. To my surprise, nobody else is inside. Oh well. I take advantage of the alone time to get my pajamas on. After that, I go over to brush and floss my teeth in the communal bathroom as well as use the toilet. Once all of that is done, I return to the cabin and silently wink and Scott when he greets me with a wave. We share a brief goodnight hug and then go into our respective sides of the cabin. Mine is still empty. Not sure where Lindsay, Zoey, or Gwen are now, but I hop into one of the beds and quickly fall asleep with a very happy feeling after my time with the ginger tonight.

 **The immunity idol has been used! Scott also got more romantic with Courtney than she expected. Who will win the next challenge?**

 **Reason for elimination: One cannot put the CIT's love interest in danger and expect to get away with it. Both of course voted for Cameron because of his shark plan while her subsequent rage attracted more votes (but certainly not from Scott, Zoey, or Gwen). People know Courtney's a strong player and not that easy to take down, though nobody knew she had the idol.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Courtney, Gwen, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Scott, Zoey**

 **Chapter posted: November 16, 2018.**


	13. Exploring the Mine

**Ugh, the episode with Ezekiel. I strongly despise him (worst of the original 22 contestants if you ask me) and writing his parts was admittedly a drag. Still, I'll reply to reviews before anything else.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Yes, things will definitely get more tense over time!**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: In both timelines, Scott was less antagonistic in TDAS than TDROTI (details on my theory why can be found in my one-shot "A Life-Changing Attack"), and I also get the sense that falling in love made him even softer than before without entirely wiping his mean side out. Using him as bait for Fang was definitely cruel here and in canon when he has a shark phobia.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Never underestimate the in-universe surprise of using an immunity idol.**

 **That British Guy: There's more surprises coming up.**

 **Gage the Hedgehog: While the canon season 5 was flawed, I personally enjoyed it overall and feel people are often too harsh on it. Regardless, I appreciate how you feel I've made this better than canon, though can you please give specifics on how I improved from that?**

 **ShadowJcreed: I knew well in advance that I wanted Sam to reach the merge and get at least one solo victory. He is a worthy player, scoring the Toxic Rats their first victory in season 4 and easily coming closest to winning for them in "Runaway Model", so I wanted to prove he was capable of playing the game well. Courtney definitely acted like her past self when getting angry over the shark bait ordeal, and will try to figure out the voting process.**

 **Sulina: Thank you! Your guesses for the votes are also correct, but our CIT won't figure that out for certain. I wanted to leave some room for imagination. Gwen's vote shall remain a mystery (evil laughter). Chris DID NOT rig anything.**

 **TheNoobyBoy: Yeah, the extent that the Screaming Gaffers in TDA and Team Amazon in TDWT godplayed through team challenges was kind of ridiculous. I admittedly was trying to implement a variety of descriptions for characters so their actual names wouldn't get used too repetitively, though apologize for anything feeling odd within narration. As for eliminations, I had already decided in advance who goes here as well as the rest of the rankings before reading your comment, which I obviously can't delve into now because of spoilers. Having an "old Courtney" moment helped show she hasn't entirely changed, and I presume you meant to say "getting Cam out" or "getting Cameron out" as Sam is still in the game.**

 **Scorp: Many thanks, and time to find out what happens. I don't take requests for new stories, sorry, but admittedly have considered ideas involving the OG's, Revenge cast, and Pahkitew contestants. Regardless, I want to focus on finishing this before starting any other Total Drama fics.**

 **Skitty: Scott would disagree with you about it being funny. Here's the next chapter now!**

 **Resuming our story.**

Why do I smell perfume first thing in the morning? Opening my eyes, I see Lindsay applying some to herself. I should've expected that. At least the scent isn't being overused. The blonde then exits our side of the cabin. Climbing out from my bed, I see Zoey and Gwen are somehow still asleep. Maybe it's because their beds are further away from the perfume than mine. Regardless, I should get dressed before the challenge starts up.

Gathering my clothes, I head over for the communal bathrooms to get dressed there. A toilet flush can be heard soon after I enter. Better take one of the stalls quick. I put my clothes on inside the stall as I hear another door open and the sink running, presumably for washing hands. The sink turns off before all my clothes are on. As I exit fully dressed, Lindsay unsurprisingly is outside heading to the cabin and must've been in that other stall when I arrived. Good thing she didn't see me underdressed or not dressed at all.

In case those watching this season on TV don't know yet about Scott and me getting together, I may as well tell them now. I make my way to the confessional outhouse and enter it. Facing the camera, I inform the public "Throughout this season, Scott and I have spent lots of time together. Not sure whether any cameras have shown us holding hands or him saying so yet, but we became a couple in between the last two pre-merge challenges, and it's been a lovely relationship so far. He even gave me a ring when asking me out."

Pausing for a moment, I take said ring out from my pocket to show and then add "While I initially didn't expect us to get together as soon as we did, I have no regrets about saying yes when he asked me to be his. He's been quite sweet to me and I hope to go to the finals with him. Maybe we could split the prize money if either of us win. In any case, I didn't think I'd have to use the immunity idol to stay in the game last night, but it feels really good to avoid elimination."

I then exit and return to the cabin. On my way over, I see Sam sitting on the hotel doorstep. Do I see a new game console in his hands or is that something from the hotel? He regardless seems deeply focused on that. It's best not to disturb the gamer's concentration right now. I simply continue my trek back to the cabin. Chef apparently dropped off breakfast while I was gone. Bowls of sloppy and bad-smelling oatmeal from some mix that was probably past its expiration date. These were disgusting when I first had them, so I brace my taste buds for a bad experience as nothing else is available to eat and I can't just starve. It tastes just as gross this time around.

Guess who doesn't mind the slop? One hungry ginger. Keep in mind that he likes eating dirt and gruel when nothing better is available. It therefore doesn't surprise me that he's fine with what we have now. Something about him just occurred to me; this was the day during my first run-through that we first became a couple only to break up within a couple hours because of Mal interfering by pushing Cameron towards my lips. We would get briefly get back together the next day before my chart fiasco the day after completely ended our relationship and I took the flush. Like I said before, that won't happen again.

As for the bubble boy, he won't be able to smooch me today after getting the second most votes last night (most votes when excluding the nullified ones for me thanks to my immunity idol). Wilkins ended up getting disqualified that day for being too severely injured to compete after getting crushed by lots of rocks. The guy was bandaged all over and had to be put in a wheelchair, and then placed in the bubble he often spent time in before joining this show as his mother was very overprotective. Even his whole face got covered in bandages, which muffled his speech. Wonder who'll go out this time.

Anyway, once my gross oatmeal is finished, I go brush and floss my teeth while I still can. Chris will sooner or later call us over for the challenge. On my way back from the communal bathroom after cleaning my teeth, I notice Scott talking to Sam again. Not hard to guess what this will be about. He thanks the gamer with "I owe you big time for the girl tips, Sam. After a dinner alone with Courtney, who I've wanted ever since the season began, she said yes to becoming a couple! Being alone with her really helps."

"Nice to know things worked out. In exchange, all I ask is that you don't vote me off before it comes down to the three of us and one other person who wins immunity. I had a feeling that you were into her even before coming to me based on your gazes. Don't think anybody in the game then or now would've made fun of you for being inexperienced or liking someone, though. It regardless doesn't take a genius to figure out you'd ideally like to go to the finals with her. Not really an issue as you know I'd do the same with Dakota if she was competing." Sam replies.

"Deal!" Scott affirms with a handshake, and then the two part.

Speaking of votes, while I know that Scott and I voted for Cameron, they were in the bottom two after I got the most votes and nullified them with my immunity idol. That means somebody voted for my boyfriend. It evidently came from Zoey given their prior issues with one another plus she promised not to vote for me. This gives three possible totals without needing a tie-breaker; a 3-2-1-1-1 vote, a 4-2-1-1 vote, and a 4-3-1 vote. The only person aside from the ginger, the pigtailed girl, and myself who I'm certain didn't vote for me is Gwen. No way would the goth do that after all that's happened this season.

Though it's hard to say for sure who she opted for instead, Mr. Wilkins doesn't seem likely given their friendship, which would leave a 3-2-1-1-1 vote or a 4-2-1-1 vote. Since Mike and Zoey were the last ones to receive marshmallows before we went into the bottom two, chances are it was one of them. If it by some chance was a 3-2-1-1-1 total, then which of the other campers didn't vote for me? Cameron obviously voted for me given my rage towards him. Lindsay easily could've given our past conflict, though I'm not sure why Sam or the multi-personality teen would choose to flush me. Regardless, I'm glad to have survived the elimination ceremony along with the competitors who matter most to me.

Getting back to the cabin, I reach the entrance around the same time Scott does, and we greet each other with a hug. He asks me "Ready for another day of Chris's shenanigans?"

"As much as I'll ever be." I reply as we let go.

"Challenge time! Proceed to the McLean spa library pronto!" Chris announces through speakerphones.

We all head over there. I just remembered now that shortly after this was when the ginger tripped on that floor board and then I tripped on that and somehow fell on his lips, prompting him to ask me out after our accidental first kiss and me saying yes after he gives an impromptu shoelace ring. Good thing the one made from string this time is much cleaner, and I put that on before taking Scott's hand in mine as we walk together. Oh god. Another thing just came to mind: this is where feral Ezekiel kidnaps Chris. Chef will insist that we must rescue him for our challenge in place of whatever else would've happened in order to keep the show going and thus have a chance to win the prize money. Can't say anything about that now for obvious reasons, though.

Once all the contestants have gathered with the cook in a room full of monitors (which McLean evidently calls a "library" for some reason), Lindsay asks him "Why isn't Chip—I mean Chris—here?"

"Just hush up; you'll see in a minute!" he replies, and then drinks from his cup of coffee.

Shortly afterwards, a TV turns on and shows our host outdoors wearing a party hat and blowing a party horn with confetti falling from above and lots of food on a table in the background. One of those foods is a cake with a "100" on top. That number is for a certain occasion. Chris tells us "Welcome to episode 100 of Total Drama! To celebrate, I have an extra special 100th episode challenge." and then chuckles before pulling out a list and continuing with "I hope no one is allergic to rhinoceroses or fire or poison, small pox, gluten-"

Gwen notices the deranged freak and interjects with "Is that-"

"Yes, it's feral Ezekiel; look right behind you!" I butt in, with everyone else adding "Look out!" and Zoey adding a "Look, look!" at the end.

"Please, don't interrupt. I'm-" Chris continues before Mr. I-went-feral stuffs him in a bag and attacks the camera.

Chef then spits out his coffee in shock at the monitor previously showing Chris, damaging that as well as the controls with its drips. All the monitors then black out. He exclaims "Ah, that can't, ah!" before dropping his mug and instructing "New challenge: find Chris!"

"You want us to hunt for Zeke?" the goth asks in disbelief. "No way; he's psycho-crazy!"

The cook retorts "Hey! If no one saves Chris, there ain't no show, which means no winner and no million dollars!"

"What?" Mike questions.

"It's not like he was that good to us anyways." Sam notes.

"We only accept if whoever saves Chris is immune at the next voting ceremony AND gets a night at the spa hotel." I insist.

"That, and nobody gets exiled to Boney Island for the rest of the game." our busty blonde adds.

"Fine, deal; just find Chris!" Hatchet relents.

"Last season, Zeke was living in the mine. Maybe that's where he took Chris?" Zoey ponders.

"To the mine!" our cook orders, and he goes over there with us.

The mine has been closed off ever since last season. I know there are open entrances, but it's best not to mention those just now. This time I'm letting Gwen team up with me when I make my way inside with Scott. It's not fair to leave her alone in such a dark place when she fears being buried alive and this place can easily cave in. The goth deserves better than that.

"Huh, looks like it's still sealed up." Mike observes.

"We might have to get something to break in." the gaming nut comments.

"Then find it!" Hatchet instructs as he tosses us all flashlights, adding "I'm heading back to the hotel to see if I can get the monitors working." before he runs off.

"Let's do this!" Gwen proclaims, looking to join Scott and me.

"Better find something that isn't sealed up. Just be sure to keep up." I state.

"Can do." she affirms.

The three of us then walk over to the side. While I do know of an open cave, I can't let them know that or it'll be suspicious. We reach its entrance. I then point inside and say "Look; this must be where Zeke gets in and out."

"You go first, Scott, because I do believe you visited it last season for a challenge." Gwen urges, obviously not wanting to be the first one inside. "Maybe you could guide us."

"If you insist, and yes; this was one of the challenges back then." he responds before heading in.

Gwen and I follow him into the cave. As nice as it felt when he wanted to just be with me for our first-hour-anniversary during this challenge in my first run-through, Ms. I-hate-to-be-buried-alive shouldn't have to fend for herself. The goth has a worried look on her face during our expedition. Even if being closed in wasn't a concern, who could blame her when feral Zeke is on the loose? This guy was already the single least popular contestant among the original 22 before he went feral in season 3. It's because no contestant from the show liked him at all for making sexist remarks about females during season 1 (giving him the first boot) and being generally obnoxious. Losing any sanity that he may have had when going feral just made people think even less of him. Glad I voted that freak off when I could in the first season. No wonder Chris and Chef banned him from competing ever again before this season started up.

"Come on, work!" Gwen anxiously says to her flashlight, struggling to get it working as it seems to have a faulty switch and just flickers on-and-off.

"There are extra lights. Remember that." Scott reminds her.

"True. Just please don't let me be alone in the dark where we could get buried alive." she replies.

"We won't." I assure the goth.

Not much happens for the next few minutes. Scott holds my hand much like in the original timeline, though doesn't try to awkwardly compliment my eyes this time, which I know was well-intentioned even if it didn't come out the way he had hoped. I'm guessing part of that is because Gwen is around this time, and another reason is that he's been mentally rehearsing his words around me like Sam suggested. It was also where he disclosed off-camera that I was his first kiss and he hadn't dated anybody before me. That wasn't really an issue for me if he remained loyal, was willing to what he should do, and liked me for who I was. The ginger of course did all of those. I also caught him glancing at my boobs at certain points, which I admit felt flattering.

Suddenly, Gwen slips and falls down a hole! She screams on her way down and yelps in pain upon evidently hurting herself during her descent. "No way am I leaving her alone in the dark!" I tell Scott as I jump down to follow her.

He follows me, and we end up crashing into Mike and Zoey. No surprise he partnered up with his girlfriend when Cameron is out of the game. Oh wait, this looks like the place where Mal pushed bubble boy towards my lips. Good thing that can't happen now. Ms. Goth complains "My arms both feel like they're broken." after the crash ends.

"You should probably get those looked at after the challenge is over." says the pigtailed girl.

"I know, and I will." she responds.

"Can you still get up on your own?" Mr. Multiple Personalities inquires.

The goth props herself up with her legs, telling him "With some struggle, yes."

"We better keep going." Scott states, but Zeke shows up before long.

The five of us all scream in terror and start running. Two members of this group aren't very lucky. After hearing yelps from both Gwen and Mike, I turn to see they've disappeared. Ezekiel obviously captured both. That quite frankly sucks.

"Mike!" His girlfriend panics as she backtracks somewhat. "We have to get him and Gwen back! There's no telling what-"

She then gets cut off by a rumble and some of the ground below her collapsing, prompting a scream. Was this where Wilkins dangled before Mal let him fall? Either way, Zoey is now dangling from the hole's edge and anxiously pleads "A little help here?" as her fingers struggle to maintain their grip.

"Of course! Just grab on." I affirm and extend one of my hands.

She reaches forward to grab that with one hand before grabbing my open hand with her other. I pull Zoey out of the hole and she gratefully hugs me with a "Thank you so much!"

I reply with "Not an issue. Let's find the others now."

We then continue through the mine. Scott doesn't seem very pleased to have the pigtailed girl as part of our group. As understandable as that is given their past conflict, we don't really have any other choice right now. Thankfully no more of the ground collapses from below during the next 10 minutes or so. Next thing I know, a pair of hands snatches Scott and me away! I already know that it's Zeke the freak even before he makes any noises. Since his hands are over our mouths, we can't really make much sound. Pigtails doesn't need to be told that she should run.

Ezekiel takes me along with Scott to a cage just like in the original timeline and tosses us in there. Gwen and Mike are already in the cage. No Lindsay or Sam to be seen. Hard to say whether they teamed up or went solo for this challenge. In the meantime, I decide to check in my goth friend, asking her "Do your arms feel any better now?"

"They unfortunately don't." she answers. "That fall really did a number on them. However, it's less painful when they just dangle rather than press against anything."

"If only we didn't have to go down here in the first place." Mike adds, and we all nod in agreement.

"At least you all got here in one piece aren't dangling above a giant cauldron containing something green that'll probably kill you. Consider yourselves lucky to be alive. I don't know how much longer I'll make it." Chris comments from a distance.

I can't deny that his situation is worse, especially after he spelled it out like that. Two rats are biting the rope that holds him up. Whoever rescues him and us from likely death will be heavily rewarded. A few minutes later, Zeke shows up and tosses Sam into the cage with us. It's all up to Zoey and Lindsay now. Let's hope at least one of them frees us sooner rather than later. Ezekiel throws some fudge at us that he took from Chris. What a prick. At least I know this time it's edible and not pieces of his own shit.

Mike turns into Chester and complains "Stop making a mess, you whippersnapper!" after he gets hit.

"I really hope this is just fudge." says a grossed-out Gwen.

My boyfriend tastes some of it from his arm and confirms "Yep, it's fudge."

Even though I already knew that, I let out a sigh of relief and comment "Phew! Thank goodness!" just like I did when first living through this challenge.

Zeke continues throwing it at us, prompting yelps from everyone except the gamer and Scott, who simply go "Yum" upon tasting the fudge.

It's then quiet for a while. Our host eventually breaks the silence by pleading the rats "Yo, little rodents! Uh, let's make a deal here: I know a cheese artisan. Surely, we can work something out." before part of his rope snaps and he dangles closer to the cauldron, then adding "OK, getting scaredy" with a brief nervous chuckle and "Help!", pausing and then shouting "Help!" again.

"That's not likely to improve anything." Sam notes.

"I said, HELP!" Chris shouts.

Chef then shows up with his spaghetti-and-meatball bazooka, replying "Chris!"

The rest of us cheer for our cook's rescue, or at least his attempt to. He then screams at the sight of the rats, putting down his bazooka to grab a big stick and whack them away. An impatient McLean questions "What took you so long?", then taking a sniff and continuing with "And why do you smell like mint chocolate chip ice cream?"

That's because he was stress eating lots of said ice cream. I know that from re-watching this episode, which somehow was able to collect lots of mine footage from the cameras placed within as well as hotel clips even with the monitors in that room not working. Before Hatchet can answer, Zeke has taken an opportunity to grab the bazooka and aims it at them, prompting both to scream. The feral freak then blasts the cook, who collapses and grunts upon getting hit. Like in the original timeline, he lands hard on one arm for some reason, which had to really hurt when pressing against the cave's floor as it had to be bandaged plus put in a sling then and undoubtedly will here as well. Us trapped contestants gasp at the sight, with me joining in to avoid suspicion.

"Zeke, Zeke, let's talk about this." Our host urges.

"You've gone out of your mind!" Lindsay then says as she shows up, only to scream once Ezekiel fires towards her with the bazooka as well and miss.

OK, that's totally true, but it wasn't too bright to just let him know about her presence like that when he was armed. Zeke then drops that bazooka to go over and collect the running blonde. As he grabs her, Zoey appears and takes the bazooka. The pigtailed girl goes "Party's over!" before firing at him.

Wait, was that part of a plan? Lindsay is unharmed either way as the meatball blast somehow only hit Zeke. Pigtails is apparently a pretty good shot. As us trapped contestants cheer, she frees Chris from the ropes and gets him down safely.

"Much appreciated." Chris thanks her. "Now come on; we gotta get out of here before Zeke gets free!"

The two of them along with Lindsay then free us from the cage. Our host helps Chef up, and we take extra care with Gwen. It takes about half an hour to reach land again. The goth is brought to an infirmary along with Hatchet. Guests aren't allowed in for the first hour. It's probably to avoid disrupting the treatment of patients. I anxiously wait close by and spend some time with my friend when the chance comes up, who has casts on both of her arms following that big fall once I arrive.

"I'm really sorry this happened to you today." I say. "Something tells me it's my fault. If I didn't point out that entrance to the mine, then maybe we could've found a safer path that wouldn't lead to you getting hurt."

Right now, guilt is eating me up for inadvertently leading her to injury. She then assures me "Don't blame yourself; you couldn't have known what would happen there. Honestly, I should've just paid closer attention to where I was stepping. I'm grateful I didn't die or even pass out today. Things could've been much worse. At least I can still use my legs."

The goth does have a point. I couldn't have known she would fall and get hurt when joining Scott and me. It provides some comfort, though doesn't change how unfortunate today's events were.

"Believe me, Gwen Cabot, I AM glad to have you alive." I reply. "While I might not have made that many pals on this show, I am grateful you were among those I did befriend."

"The feeling is mutual." Gwen responds. "In the meantime, I should probably get some rest. Thanks for visiting me and being a good friend."

I tell her "Of course. Wishing you a speedy recovery!" and then exit.

Gwen deserves better than this. Even if it was just bad luck that she fell after joining my expedition, that shouldn't have happened to her. I really hope she heals as soon as possible. Once I reach the cabin, I just sit on the doorstep and sigh dejectedly.

"Something got you down?" Scott unexpectedly shows up and asks.

"That's an understatement." I reply as he sits next to me. "I feel really worried for Gwen and was just visiting her at the infirmary. She's one of the few friends I ever made on this show. You of course are among them as well, regardless of whether we agreed to date. Despite her assurances that the fall wasn't my fault, I wish I didn't take her down the path that led to it."

"If there's anything I can do to help, then just say so." he says.

After some thought, I tell him "A hug would be nice right about now. Also, promise me you won't vote for her tonight. She deserves to go further than this."

"I promise. Gwen wasn't my first choice to vote for anyway." he insists as we share a hug.

Some of my sadness fades. It isn't entirely gone, but I can safely say Scott has helped improve my mood. I truly do love the ginger. Having a boyfriend like him on the island makes the season a better experience. On the bright side, one definite plus for this challenge compared to the last time I lived through it is that nobody tried to interfere with our relationship. Mike also has more control of himself right now, and Chester surfacing earlier shows the guy's now closer to how he was before that first shovel hit. My hug with Scott ends after a minute and I go to the communal bathrooms to use the toilet.

Once I've relieved myself, I decide to walk around the island until sunset. Once the sun starts fading, I head back to the cabin. The moon has risen before I arrive there. My goth friend is sitting on its footsteps. Perhaps we can talk some more.

"It's a good thing I got discharged within a couple hours after your visit. I'd hate to be stuck in a wheelchair right about now, so nice to have functioning legs." she tells me.

"That would probably be even worse." I respond. "No matter what happens after today, I want you to know that as much as I enjoyed being teammates this season, the truth is you belonged on team hero all along. I don't care what Chris thinks. Our host places you there just because you tried to secure Cody Anderson's vote when it was common knowledge that he had the hots for you!? That was frankly absurd. Even if one were to argue you should've shown more gratitude for his dedication to helping you stay in the game, anybody who watched season three would know you clearly were in fact quite grateful for how loyally Cody backed you. McLean was obviously just looking for a way torment you by trying to make you seem worse than you ever were. Securing that vote was nothing compared to what the other Vultures, including me, did in past seasons before the teams first got set up. I admittedly deserved to be on team villain based on my past actions even though I'm overall not as mean as I used to be. Still, I do feel quite glad that people such as you and Scott can accept the better parts of me."

That puts a smile on the goth's face. She adds "Many thanks for that. I also liked being on the same team as you, but not Chris insisting I was a villain. It's nice that we both made the merge this time around."

"Merging together is something I'm certainly happy for too." I agree.

Lindsay shows up not long afterwards and inquires "Do your arms feel any better now than earlier?"

"Somewhat, but they still hurt like hell." Gwen answers. "It's currently best for them to touch as few things as possible."

"That sucks. Hope they get better soon!" the blonde says before she heads into the cabin.

"Attention campers: Please report to the elimination ceremony pronto!" Chris announces through a speakerphone, which for some reason was never shown in this episode when I re-watched the season. Oh well. We all make our way over and arrive at about the same time. Every contestant including me then sits on the logs near the campfire. Mike is sitting between Zoey and me. Gwen is to my other side with Scott also next to her.

"Zoey wins our never-to-be-repeated-or-spoken-of-again challenge! She saved all of us, but more importantly, she saved me. So, I'll honor the deal Chef made. The spa hotel is yours, Zoey. There will also be no more nights on Boney Island this season!"

We all cheer. Our host continues with "As for who goes home, we'll find out soon. Time to vote somebody out. Gwen, since your arms are incapacitated right now, you can just give your vote orally this time."

"Thank you for that." the goth replies.

The vote then begins. Winner once again goes starts this process, which means that Zoey goes up first. I then faintly hear an evil laugh next to me coming from Mr. Multiple Personalities. When did Mal show up!? Can't take any risks now and must vote him off while I have the opportunity, even though it would mean the real Mike goes home. Once the pigtailed girl returns, he goes up next. I then go third after he takes back his seat. Too bad I can't say anything aloud on the inner demon without attracting unwanted attention. After entering the confessional, I draw a big X over a portrait of the multi-personality teen and then sign my name on the back. Gwen votes after me. Scott follows, then Lindsay makes her choice, and finally Sam finishes it off.

"Now that the votes are in and I've reviewed the footage to check for any tampering, which thankfully didn't happen, our final seven will soon become six." McLean announces as he takes out a plate with marshmallows. "Zoey of course gets our first marshmallow for winning the challenge. Scott, Courtney, Lindsay, and Sam are also safe tonight."

He tosses marshmallows to each player as he calls their name. Tonight's bottom two are Gwen and Mike/Mal. Uh-oh! Please, don't send the goth home now! They look very worried as Chris continues with "Campers, this is the last marshmallow, and it goes to…

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Mike!"

The multi-personality teen smiles and cheers "Yes!" as he receives that final marshmallow.

FUCK NO! Gwen and I both frown upon realizing she's been cut from the contest. Our host says "Gwen, the flush-of-shame awaits you."

"Why her?" I ask.

"She's been through enough pain already." Zoey answers. "This will end or at least reduce that, even if it means no money earned, and now Gwen can go get better medical treatment. I don't mean any offense to the infirmary here, though."

"Nothing personal. We can let her be free now." Lindsay unexpectedly adds.

"No hard feelings. I probably wouldn't do very well in challenges with bad arms anyway." Gwen replies.

"Take care and heal soon!" Sam tells the goth as our host and Chef take her to the giant toilet.

I decide to follow them. After my friend is placed in the toilet, I say "Farewell, Gwen, and thanks for everything this season. I'm gonna miss you and really wish you could've lasted longer."

"Believe me, so do I, but we can't always get what we want. I'll miss you too. So long, and I hope you win! Also wishing you and Scott the best." she replies.

"OK, now that you've exchanged goodbyes with your friend, are you ready for the flush?" Hatchet asks the goth.

Gwen silently nods, and Chris presses the button to flush her away. He then signs off the episode with "Yeah, not how I wanted to celebrate the 100th episode of Total Drama, but at least no one got hurt. Well, Gwen did, but not me, and that's what's important here on Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

"You selfish jackass!" I chastise the host before pushing him into the lake and storming off.

"I take pride in being one!" McLean retorts from behind me.

"Not gonna lie; you deserved that." Chef tells him, which makes me smile.

On my way back, I notice the pigtailed girl having some inaudible conversation with Mr. Gamer in front of the hotel. What could that be about? Too bad they part ways before I can hear anything. Once I reach the cabin, I go inside and sit on one of the bunk beds. It sucks seeing your friend get the ax. She did have a point about not doing well in upcoming challenges, though. I suddenly remember that tomorrow's challenge is an obstacle course. No way could someone with unusable arms feasibly get through that without injury. At least she can be treated better in a more official hospital now.

I then silently lay on the bed for about fifteen minutes, not feeling like doing much else. A knock is then heard on my door. Scott calls "Dinner's here if you want any."

Not wanting to starve, I make my way outside. Tonight's dinner is a burnt chicken. Seriously, what's with burning the loser meals!? We deserve better than this. The ginger and I silently eat together for the next ten minutes. As we finish up, he consoles me with "I'm very sorry about tonight's elimination. Gwen still played a good game and was a definite asset for our team prior to the merge."

I kiss him on the cheek and reply "Thank you. The truth is that while I did want us to all make the final three together, I've been hoping to go to the finals with you, which she figured out before long. Let's make that happen."

"I guess it doesn't take much to determine I also wanted you in the finale with me." He adds. "Would you care to split the money if either of us win this season?"

Didn't think he'd ask that before I did. Oh well. No avoiding this now. I affirm "I'd love to." with a hug as I smile.

We then part ways. I go into the girls' side of the cabin to change into my pajamas as Zoey is in the hotel tonight and Lindsay is elsewhere. Once that's done, I grab my toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss before going to the communal bathroom. I then clean my teeth and use the toilet before returning to the cabin about 10 minutes later. My boyfriend seems surprised at this sight and questions "Going to bed already? It's not that late yet."

"True, but I'm not really in the mood for staying up late after all that happened today and tonight. Have a nice rest." I reply as we share a goodnight kiss.

He then responds with "Same to you." and then I go inside my part of the cabin.

I just want this rotten day to end. It was bad enough having to deal with Ezekiel. Gwen getting voted off just makes it even worse. Lindsay is inside and already in her pajamas too. Not sure if she has the same plans as me right now, though.

"Today's been a bad day, sure, but it won't last forever." She remarks.

"Good point. I'm calling it a night so that can end sooner." I reply and then climb into one of the beds. It's more of a struggle to fall asleep than I initially expected, though I eventually doze off.

 **Our CIT takes a painful loss. The final six won't be as easy for her to live through now. Before anybody asks about Zoey winning challenges: I WILL NOT give her three consecutive solo victories before the finals like canon did, so don't ask if this is her starting a winning streak. The winners of the next challenges have been decided in advance.**

 **Reason for elimination: Gwen breaking her arms prompted pity from other contestants, who felt she should just escape the pain and Chris's antics. It's also hard to compete when the goth can't grip onto anything.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place), Gwen (7th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Courtney, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Scott, Zoey**

 **Chapter posted: November 30, 2018.**


	14. Getting Through Obstacles

**Six players remain. That'll turn into five after I respond to more reviews.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Mal has things to do here. You'll find out more after reading this chapter.**

 **SideshowJazz1: Yeah, the other contestants wanted Gwen to be treated in a better place with broken arms. I do have something for our baddie coming up.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Injuries are indeed a hindrance. It still is sad for our time-traveler, though.**

 **That British Guy: Me neither. Ezekiel is horrid and definitely lost any sanity he may have had when going feral.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Your guesses on the votes during the boat challenge are correct. Glad you like my writing here so far.**

 **ShadowJcreed: I have very rarely seen Ezekiel be even remotely likable in anything. Even without sexist remarks, he's just really obnoxious. Zoey unfortunately hasn't found the DVD and it's not like the CIT can just point it out as that would give away her time-travel. Can't delve into Mal being exposed now due to spoilers.**

 **TheNoobyBoy: Only Zoey won because she freed Chris and Lindsay didn't, similar to how Gwen freed him in canon while Cameron was just a distraction for Zeke, and I admit it's kind of ironic that I eliminated the character who won that challenge in the actual series.**

 **Scorp: Thank you. Hopefully you feel the same about what follows.**

 **Find out now who wins the obstacle course!**

My side of the cabin feels emptier with Gwen gone. At least she left the game on much better terms with me this time. I'll be sure to contact her after the season ends, especially if we don't get to speak again during the finale when all previously eliminated contestants are brought back and each finalist randomly selects two of them as helpers. Good thing we exchanged emails, phone numbers, and Skype usernames before her departure. Lindsay isn't too bad to have around, but it's just not the same as having a cherished friend with me.

Something that just occurred to me now is how Scott and I are the only remaining Vultures. While I do dearly miss the goth, part of me also feels accomplished to be the highest-ranking female of my team. Yeah, I know the merge has already taken place, but I still am allies with him as well as his girlfriend. He probably feels proud of himself to be the team's longest lasting male. It's hard to say how I'd react if either of us went next. That just can't happen.

When I get outside, I see that some burnt English muffins have been left on a big plate for us to eat. Please stop burning our meals, Chef! Yes, I knew this would happen, but it doesn't make things any better. I eat a couple of them anyway as nothing else is available. Where could Lindsay be? Regardless, I hear voices as I eat and decide to listen in.

Sam asks a certain somebody "Mike, have you really been yourself lately other than when Chester or Manitoba Smith surfaced?" and continues with "Things haven't been the same after Manitoba was accidentally hit in the head with a shovel. I heard some unusual voice come from you in your sleep last night. We're friends and you can tell me the truth."

Did he find out about Mal? Better listen more. Mike regretfully says "I wish I could say I have. There's undoubtedly been something wrong with me since that day. My alternate personalities couldn't be contacted until I got the idea to get hit in the head again. A second shovel hit brought them back, but I feel like a really bad thing could be happening to me, which may have been what you heard. That's probably why I've blanked out from time to time or acted out of the ordinary. If I ever turn into anything that isn't Manitoba, Svetlana, Vito, or Chester, then I'm sorry in advance for whatever happens, and you should just run to save yourself. I have some vague guesses but haven't exactly figured out what that bad thing could be. Chester always seems to vanish before he can finish giving some sort of warning and then come back until he tries to finish that again. Big sign of trouble right there. You're my friend, Sam, and shouldn't get hurt by whatever that is. Everybody else should run to a safe distance as well. Thanks for the concern, though."

Wait a moment. He hasn't figured out that his inner demon got unleashed and is going back-and-forth with control? Mal was probably preventing Chester from informing the main man what's happening to him. It goes to show what a difference a shovel hit vs. a boulder hit made. I feel quite sorry for the multi-personality teen. If he can't win an inner battle, then the guy should probably get professional help. Nobody should have to suffer such agony. The gamer responds with "Of course. Hope you get better soon and figure out whatever it is that's wrong. That voice sounded as if it wanted domination and it just wasn't like you."

After the two part, I decide to go clean my teeth while I have the chance, so I take my toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss over to the communal bathroom. That takes about five minutes to complete. On my way back, I hear an evil voice mutter "These gullible fools have no idea what they're up against and I'll easily defeat them all!" before laughing evilly.

Mal has surfaced! I even see part of the multi-personality teen's hair has fallen over one eye as I turn to his sound. Before I can say anything, our gamer notices and confronts him with "What 'gullible fools' are you talking about? Whoever you are, don't try to trick me into thinking this is Mike, because he would never say such a thing!"

The demon faces him and replies "Oh, so you paid attention and noticed me, Samuel. Very observant! No point in denying who I am when you can't be tricked. My name is Mal, and I WILL win the million, not that your friend Michael knows about it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I heard him tell you that he only had vague guesses about what was happening to him earlier. Is that so? I plan to keep it that way and got unleashed with that shovel hit on the beach, which has given me on-and-off control ever since. Mike thought he had gotten rid of me long ago. The truth is I was just laying low, conserving my energy, waiting for my moment, and it worked! Now I'm in charge, so he's unavailable."

Mr. Gamer quips "You ARE the unusual voice I heard last night! Don't hurt him or anyone else!" only to get a dismissive "Pfft. I do as I please." in response.

Sam then retorts "You need to go out and-" before getting interrupted by Mal hoisting him in the air by his shirt collar and threatening "Listen up. You better not share a word of this exchange with anybody if you want to stick around. Got it, Sam? I'll personally be hell to anybody who tries to interfere and am even willing to torture your buddy whose body I now possess. Don't fuck around with me. I otherwise just might break every game system you own."

I run over to help, but trip over a rock and land face first on the ground. Damn, that hurt. Sam can be heard nervously gulping and then he pleads "Sure, just please don't hurt innocent people." as I pick myself up.

Too bad I couldn't get over there to stop it in time. Furthermore, if the evil persona catches either of us telling the others about him coming up now, then even worse things are bound to happen. What he doesn't know is that I witnessed his threat. Mal drops him to the ground and scoffs "Whatever." with an evil chuckle before running off.

Making my way over to the help gaming nut up, I inform him "You don't need to tell me anything. While I saw and heard what happened, I sadly couldn't reach you in time. I think you know what to do."

Sam sighs and tells me "Of course. Make sure Mal loses and vote him off tonight. It's ultimately for the greater good. Having to do this will hurt, though, as Mike is my pal and he doesn't fully know what's happening to him. I heard that evil-sounding voice not only last night in his sleep, but also the night before in the hotel in that room with the monitors where we met Chef for the previous challenge. When fiddling with one of the game systems I found in there, some evil laughter was playing nearby, so I went in to find out where that came from. One of the screens showed Mal bragging in the confessional about easily winning the million and then Mike resurfacing right afterwards, apparently not knowing what he was doing in there. That was all I caught before he exited. At first, I thought it was just a one-time-only thing as it I didn't see or hear that evil being yesterday until Mike was already asleep. I also wasn't sure how to bring the matter up then anyway to others as it would make me look bad to indicate I invaded what's supposed to be a private-from-other-castmates moment even though they get shown on public TV unless maybe somebody edits those out. Hearing it again last night in his sleep of course proved me wrong and I knew I had to at least check on him in the morning. Sleep talking is nothing new for Mike or his other personalities as Cameron heard him repeatedly do so last season, but they don't sound evil like Mal does."

Well-intentioned for sure, though Mal isn't one to directly confront on matters. That will lead to something bad. It at least didn't go well for Alejandro as the demon crushed his wrist after being threatened with the "Mal's Greatest Hits" DVD. Al was also eliminated that day in a 5-1 vote. Still not sure whether it was him or the real Mike who talked Scott and me into giving him the flush back then, though.

In any case, Sam or Zoey finding that DVD would've helped. I assure the gamer "If he does win today's challenge, then I promise not to vote you off tonight as long as you don't vote for me either. It's also probably best for us to consult the others for a collective vote in private after that's over as I don't think we could reach them all in time now without being overheard by the wrong ears. I have no doubt that Mal will cause more trouble for anybody that he knows is onto him, so keep a low profile for now."

"Deal. I don't think I could take him on my own, so I'm grateful for the help." He thanks me.

I reply with "Not a problem. Chris will probably call us over for the upcoming challenge soon."

Almost as if on cue, our host instructs "Attention maggots! Last one to the beach drops and gives me 50! Up, Up, Hut!" through a microphone.

"Nice timing." Sam compliments with a bit of a chuckle, and then we sprint over.

"At ease, maggots. About time you got here. I was almost getting bored." McLean impatiently tells us once everyone except a certain blonde has arrived and is gasping for breath from running, and then adds "Glad you could join us, Lindsay. You know the deal. Last one here equals pushups there." as she shows up.

She catches her breath and whines "That's just plain cruel!"

"I think you mean 'That's just plain cruel, sir'!" he replies, using a megaphone when repeating her words and adding the "sir".

Lindsay then reluctantly begins the pushups. It wears her out, and she complains "I have no more feeling in my arms." after finishing and collapsing.

"That's just too bad!" Chef barks.

"Listen up, worms. Chef's boot camp challenge in season 1 was tough, but this is season 5 and things are about to get a lot more hurt-y with the Chris McLean Obsta-kill course! Patent pending."

Both are quite brutal experiences indeed. That boot camp challenge from the first season was also where Harold McGrady rigged the votes against me to spite Duncan Ebert as well as where my ill-fated romance with the delinquent first blossomed. I was shocked upon hearing I had been eliminated instead of Harold, and then infuriated once I learned about the tampering. Though McGrady later apologized for it, mentioning that challenge can still bring up unpleasant memories.

"Is this for real?" Sam interjects.

"100% yes. To win this full-on race challenge and avoid getting flushed, first you'll have to conquer the fun tires. Get through them, and you're onto the ropes. Some ropes are less reliable than others, so choose wisely but not too wisely; that'll spoil the fun, for me. Next, the snapping bars." Chris informs us.

"Why are they called that?" Zoey asks.

"Oh, you'll see." he responds and continues with "Then, it's on to a pleasant run through the duck-and-cover. Come out of that alive, and you're in for a real treat."

"Some elaboration on that 'treat' would be nice." I add, wanting to keep Scott from accidentally making this challenge harder by prompting our host to give us heavy backpacks to wear the whole time.

"You'll find out once you get there." Chris replies.

"Fair enough." I tell him, doing what I can to prevent the ginger from talking right now about how easy this supposedly will be.

Sam helps Lindsay get back up on her feet. He tells her "Better hope your arms get their strength back soon; you'll really need them today!"

"I know." the blonde responds. "It just sucks to wear them out before the challenge even begins, so thanks for the help back up."

"Sure thing." he tells her.

"A night together in the spa hotel if either of us win today and Chris allows guests this time?" Scott whispers to me.

"Definitely!" I quietly affirm with a smile and we quickly peck each other on the lips.

"On your marks, get set, go!" McLean instructs.

The six of us all begin running. Lindsay is initially the furthest behind, though she does begin to catch up after a slow start. What's important now is that Mal loses. However, Mr. Multiple Personalities has just turned into Svetlana, proclaiming "It's time for Svetlana to get gymnastic!" in a Russian accent.

Oh great. She happens to be Mike's most athletic personality. Surely an asset for this challenge, which makes things harder for the rest of us. At least the demon isn't in control right now. Can I keep up with the gymnast persona, though? Crossing through the tires, Scott remarks "This is easy!" before a log pops out from one of them and hits me in the face!

Can't believe I forgot how I ran into that the first time. Better keep going. My boyfriend looks back out of concern with a "Huh?", and then gets caught in another tire when distracted, somehow landing in a way where one leg sticks out.

He screams in pain and complains "My foot is touching my face!" as a log from another tire and a boxing glove from some other one pop up.

Chris can be heard asking "You dung beetles didn't think Colonel McLean would give you a straight-ahead challenge, did you?"

Should've remembered these booby traps. I pull the ginger out from that tire as soon as I reach it. He gratefully smiles afterwards and doesn't need to be told to just keep going. Water then sprays out of a few others, with Zoey nearly getting soaked while Svetlana complains "Too wet for my liking!" and helps her get across them. Lindsay and Sam respectively get hit by a boxing-glove-on-a-spring and a log that pop up from the tires.

"Svetlana and Zoey are in the lead and heading for the rope slope." Chris announces as he and Chef pull up in the cook's jeep. "This ought to be good!"

The Russian gymnast climbs a licorice rope with ease. A certain pigtailed girl isn't so quick. At one point in the middle of her ascent, she asks aloud "What the heck?" and sniffs it.

"No time for sniffing, only climbing!" Svetlana tells her.

"I'm trying!" she replies and then sneezes, accidentally releasing the rope during that sneeze before falling to the ground and landing on her ass.

Zoey groans in pain and rubs the area that hurt. McLean observes through the speakerphone "Apparently Zoey's allergic to ropes made of dog hair."

"Dog hair!?" Pigtails questions. "Ew!"

She then sneezes again.

Svetlana turns back into Mike, who calls out "Zoey, get away from that thing! I can come down and help if you like."

Danger of his girlfriend suffering from illness/allergies can bring him back? I should've guessed. Maybe the fall was also part of it.

"Keep going; I'll catch up!" she insists, sounding a little stuffy, and he complies as she goes to a white rope of some sort.

I reach the ropes next and climb up the licorice one. Nothing personal against dogs, but candy-based ropes sound more appealing. Scott reaches the base not long afterwards. To keep the ginger from shocking himself on the zapping rope like last time, I warn "Watch where you place your hands!" as I'm about halfway up.

He then notices a spark coming from the zapping rope and switches over to the one made from dog hair instead, gratefully telling me "Thanks, and I'll be up in a country jiffy!" as he makes his way to the top.

In a certain sense, it's like Mike and Zoey are a duo while Scott and I are another. Sam's probably on his own. Same with Lindsay. As I descend, I hear the blonde screaming and some electric shocks. It doesn't surprise me that she of all people would take that rope. Another dumb moment. Our host can be heard chuckling and telling the audience "Looks like someone found my favorite rope; the zapper!"

Sam remarks "Yeah, bad choice, though my rope smells like the puppy I have back home when he gets filthy." as she continues to scream and get zapped by the rope.

Chris can be heard cutting to the commercial break with "Will anyone survive the obsta-kill course? Will Lindsay become a human hotdog? Will I laugh no matter what? Yes, to that, but for all the other answers, stay tuned to Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

Even if the real Mike is in control now, I can't afford for him to win today as that means Mal stays in the game unless the main man can somehow sort things out. He's in the lead with Zoey in second, heading for the next part of our challenge. I sprint to catch up with both. McLean informs us "Mike is the first to reach the snapping bar followed by Zoey and Courtney!" as the multi-personality teen crosses it and avoids the snapping turtles in the below water who jump out, trying to bite him.

The pigtailed girl goes somewhat slowly, clearly wanting to avoid the turtles. I can't take chances now and make my way past her to catch up with Mr. Multiple Personalities. Thankfully she maintains her grip and doesn't fall into the turtle-infested water.

"Mike maintains the lead, but Courtney is on his trail. Who will win it all?" Chris ponders.

Hopefully it'll be me. I ran after him after we both reach ground again, though can't seem to keep up. Next up will be the duck-and-cover. Glancing behind me, I notice Zoey approaching the end of the bars as Scott struggles to even get started. He complains "Ow, my left butt cheek! Ow, my right butt cheek!" as snapping turtles latch onto each of those, asking aloud "Why is it always my butt?"

Thankfully Sam can somehow punch each turtle off before long once he shows up. I vaguely hear the gamer tell him "Just keep going to avoid getting bitten again!" and my boyfriend gratefully reply "Thanks, and you truly are a pal for that."

While I feel bad for not having a chance to help Scott in a time of need, he fortunately got aid in a short amount of time from someone who evidently has befriended him, and I must make sure Mal loses today even if that also means flushing the real Mike. Better keep moving. The pigtailed girl isn't far behind me as we follow him. He suddenly stops and almost gets hit by a leech Chef fires at him. An evil voice then retorts "If that's how you roll, then two can play at this game!" and tosses the slimy creature back at the shooter, getting a direct hit and prompting an enraged growl from the cook, who fires more at him after peeling it off.

Why did Mal have to take over again? His hair has even dropped over one eye again. This leech dodge is one part of the challenge I do remember. Finding a place to cover truly does help. Our host cautions "Forgot to mention: this is Chef's favorite place to unwind with some leech-ball target practice, so you better duck and you better find cover!"

He doesn't need to repeat himself. I promptly duck behind a rock to avoid those gross leeches. Zoey does the same behind another one close by. She whispers to me "Am I imagining things, or did a certain demon take over my beloved's body again and fling back a leech at Chef?"

"His evilness unfortunately is back in control." I quietly answer back. "Here's hoping it doesn't last for long."

We see Mal up ahead ducking behind some other rock as Hatchet fires at him. He's brushing his hair back, evidently disguising himself as Mike again. Mr. Multiple Personalities dodges to another rock further in the distance and gets hit in the torso by several of the cook's leeches. The demon groans in pain as it makes contact. He peels one off and flings it back towards Chef, missing his target, and then gets the others off his body.

"Mike is still in the lead!" McLean announces.

If only that were the real Mike and not Mal in control. Chef continues to shoot at him without success. I take this opportunity to move ahead. Zoey follows close behind. Unfortunately, the cook notices and fires at us. The pigtailed girl trips and falls flat on her face just as I reach a rock. She gets pelted with lots of leeches while struggling to get back up. Zoey screams "Ew, Ow, and Gross! These things both figuratively and literally suck!"

A concerned gasp is heard up ahead. I see the multi-personality teen running back, assuring her "I'll help you get those off!" and only gets hit by one of the other leeches that Chef fires at him, peeling it off his cheek without stopping.

Thank god Mike is back in control! Zoey gets a few leeches off her before he arrives and helps with the others. He truly is a dedicated boyfriend to the pigtailed girl, at least when his other personalities aren't in control. Too bad I can't risk keeping Mal around any longer than necessary. I take my chance to go ahead and dodge behind another rock, taking a couple leeches to one of my legs in the process, and peeling those gross things off shortly afterwards. No major damage.

Looking back, I see Sam, Scott, and Lindsay all diving behind different rocks. The gamer can be heard pondering "Maybe I can put my _Call of Duty_ skills to use with all the dodging I had to do to avoid enemy fire when playing those games, but I have nothing to fire back with."

Let's hope they don't get hit too much. I regardless keep going until I reach the edge of a cliff, stopping to avoid a nasty fall in the water below. On the other side, Chris tells me through his megaphone "Here's that treat you asked about earlier, Courtney, and kudos to you and Mike for getting here first. This is it, maggots; the final obstacle! All you gotta do is get to where I'm standing alive!"

I see Mr. Multiple Personalities catch up shortly after the host finishes. Something I notice is that the backpacks with zip lining gear that we had to carry in the original timeline are lying nearby. Mike asks our host "How are we supposed to do that?"

"Look in the bags to the side." McLean answers.

Zoey apparently heard that and reaches them first, opening one and says "Ziplining, of course!" as she takes out the gear.

The multi-personality teen and I scramble to get some gear for ourselves. He finishes putting it on before I do, though. Each of us race for the lines. Mike gets there moments before Zoey and me, setting up his connection with ease and zipping down the line. I lean back to gain speed and try to catch up to him. It's a rather close race. At the finish line, Chris announces "The race for last place begins as the race for first is about to end! Mike looks unbeatable, but wait; can Zoey or Courtney take the crown?"

"I sure hope so!" I yell aloud.

Almost immediately afterwards, the multi-personality teen leans back more and extends his legs forward, gaining enough speed. It's enough to secure him victory.

"Mike wins immunity!" McLean tells us as he crosses the line.

Zoey passes it seconds later and then I do the same. So much for flushing Mal tonight. At least the main man is in control now instead of him. After we get off the lines and remove our gear, his girlfriend tells him "Congrats on the victory." with a hug and then they share a kiss.

While Mike and Zoey did have a nice moment right there, it's not what we need at this moment. He gives a simple "Thank you." in response.

Lindsay, Sam, and Scott arrive within a minute. They all crash into trees like Gwen and I did in my first run-through. This time I put my feet against one for a less painful ending, as did the pigtailed girl and the multi-personality teen. The trio moans in pain. Chris chuckles at the sight and says "Bonus ouchies! You can count your bruises while I'm counting the elimination votes tonight. Mike's safe from the flush of shame, so who's going home, I wonder?"

We'll find that out later. On another note, Scott thankfully didn't find himself in a pickle with the wires by not having any ziplining gear in this challenge unlike in the original timeline when he foolishly abandoned his pack. As I head back to the cabins, Sam catches up to me and inquires "Since Mal can't be voted off tonight, what are we supposed to do at tonight's elimination ceremony?"

Good thing the demon is nowhere to be seen right now and can't possibly hear us. I respond with "Just vote for someone else and hope for the best. No point in gathering people for a collective vote when he's safe from the next flush. Keep your head down to avoid Mal doing even worse things to you than this morning. Don't risk your safety now by letting him overhear you say the wrong things. On a higher note, at least the real Mike was in control when winning today's race. I saw him as he crossed the line. Remember we promised not to vote for each other tonight. Best of luck. I also briefly saw you help Scott out earlier with those turtles, so thanks for that."

"No problem." the gamer replies. "He might not have been friends with me last season, but that seems to have changed lately. I admit I gave him some help with relationships and sensed Scott wanted to be more than friends with you even before he asked for tips. He was quite grateful for it. We seem to have gotten along better ever since it worked in his favor and you agreed to go out with him. Seeing some similarities to how things were between Dakota and me before we became a couple, I sympathized with his scenario and was willing to lend a hand. Maybe I should've brought him into the hotel with me when I won the boat race, but I really wanted a night with my lady. Too bad Chris wouldn't let me call her to come over."

"You have respect for all of that as well as your dedication to Ms. Milton. Here's hoping we make the final five together." I say with a handshake, and then we part.

With the final five approaching, I need to increase my chances of getting to the finale. How does one do that? By eliminating threats. Sorry Zoey, but you and Mal are overall the biggest threats to my victory, so you have my vote today since he's now immune. No hard feelings, just strategy. I resume reading my law book once I reach my cabin. Yes, it is a very long book, and helps me pass time.

Once Lindsay arrives in the cabin, she complains "Today was brutal!" and seems exhausted.

"You can say that again." I add in agreement.

"Now I just need rest. Wake me up when it's time for the vote if I'm not already awake by then." the blonde tells me as she takes off her boots and climbs into one of the beds, falling asleep before long once underneath the covers.

Though I also feel beat from the challenge and napping sounds nice, I can't do that when an evil demon is lurking among camp. Sam also seems to understand that trying to tell others about him now wouldn't end well. Maybe one of us can win the next challenge and then expose him if we both survive this elimination ceremony. Zoey enters the cabin about ten minutes later. She sees Lindsay is sleeping, and does her best to keep quiet, whispering "Don't get me wrong; though I'm proud of Mike for winning today, I do know that also means Mal is safe from the upcoming flush. Looks like we'll just have to vote randomly tonight. I watched this show's first three seasons before competing in the fourth and know Lindsay probably couldn't keep secrets very well, so I haven't told her about Mal in case she blurts out plans at the wrong time and gets herself in trouble."

Good point on the blonde and her secret-keeping (or lack thereof) when she accidentally shared an embarrassing diarrhea secret on screen involving her sister Paula in season one. Shrugging my shoulders, I say "I guess so, and she definitely isn't one I'd trust with secrets. See you in the final five if things go accordingly.", and she departs the cabin.

My response (except for agreeing on Lindsay and secrets) was something season 6's villain Sugar would probably call "a can of lies" (to quote one of her confessionals); my choice to flush the pigtailed girl isn't random at all, though I obviously couldn't say that aloud. Above all else, I hope is that the next one out isn't Scott or me. Sam sticking around would also be nice because he's become pals with the ginger to at least some extent, plus my boyfriend could use an ally if I don't survive the next elimination ceremony. Nobody else is likely to team up with him at this point. Having that immunity idol still with me would be nice. Oh well. I keep reading until it's dark outside and the gaming nut knock on our door, telling us "Chris wants us to gather so we can vote now."

Lindsay heard that and gets her boots back on. Everyone then heads for the elimination ceremony. We each take seats on the logs near the campfire. Our host shows up shortly afterwards and says "Time to send another contestant into the toilet. Unfortunately, somebody ravaged through my marshmallow stash earlier today! Only five remain, which is just enough for tonight. This was found nearby and gives me a good idea of what happened."

Chris holds up a game console with some marshmallow smudge. Sam stealing marshmallows? I don't believe it for a moment! My jaw drops in shock at the sight and we all gasp. Zoey questions "How could you, Sam!?"

"No; honest to god, I didn't steal anything!" the gamer insists. "Someone else must've done it and left that console there to pin the blame on me!"

Mr. Multiple Personalities then reprimands "Not cool!"

Part of my instinct somehow senses from the pleading look on Sam's face that he truly is innocent. He's not the type to do this sort of thing. I would bet my bottom dollar Mal is the true culprit and framed him, but I don't have any solid evidence to prove it. Mike wouldn't do that sort of thing, especially to one of his friends, and might not even know what really happened. Only his evil persona would pin things like this on others. Not sure who's in control right now as the main man could be shocked by witnessing the ordeal while his inner demon could be posing as him and faking innocence. In any case, Chris warns "I'll see about that when I review the camera footage later. Whoever stole the marshmallows should consider this my only warning: DO NOT STEAL THOSE AGAIN OR YOU IMMEDIATELY WILL GET DISQAULIFIED WHEN I FIND OUT THE TRUTH! The innocent will also be kicked off right away if I catch them doing it in the future. Now, go cast your votes."

Mike/Mal goes first. Zoey follows him. Scott goes afterwards. Then Sam votes, followed by Lindsay, and lastly me. I would vote off Mal if I could, but since that's not an option, I stick with my original choice and vote for the pigtailed girl as she's my next biggest threat. I make an X over a portrait of her face and sign my name on its back. A gut feeling tells me Sam is innocent plus I promised earlier that I wouldn't vote for him tonight anyway.

Time to get our verdict. McLean later brings out a plate of marshmallows and tells us "I managed to secure the five marshmallows that weren't stolen and have them with me tonight. Hopefully I don't end up giving one to the thief. In any case, I've tallied the votes and will keep a closer watch on my stash once replenished. Our first marshmallow goes to today's winner Mike. Courtney and Scott have both made it to the final five. Everyone else each received votes today."

The three of us then get our marshmallows. A concerned blonde then asks "Wait, why me?"

"Beats me, but you can relax Lindsay; you're safe too with only one vote." he says and tosses her one.

"Thank goodness!" she replies.

Sam and Zoey are in the bottom two. Both look quite anxious right now. Our host continues with "Just one spot in the final five remains. This is the ticket there, and it goes to…

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Zoey!"

Pigtails then gets the only marshmallow left and exclaims "That's a relief!"

I feel bad for Mr. Gamer, who says "Quite unfortunate, but I'm glad I did much better than last season, and it was sweet to get a solo victory before leaving."

Chris announces "Game over for you, Sam, even if you didn't take from the marshmallow stash. You had three votes against you and now must surf the porcelain wave machine. Zoey had just two. First, since Mike won the challenge, he and a camper of his choice get to enjoy the spa!"

"That would be Zoey! It doesn't take a genius to figure out why." The multi-personality teen tells him while hugging the pigtailed girl, who says "Thanks, and I would've done the same for you yesterday if Chris let me."

"OK, now I need to do some flushing." an impatient McLean butts in, taking Sam over to the toilet.

I don't bother waiting for the host to sign off today's episode. Scott walks over to join Chris and the gamer. Chances are he wants to wish him a goodbye. On my way out, I glance back and vaguely hear a sinister voice mutter "So long, sucker!"

Mal is here again! This makes me even more certain he stole the marshmallows and framed Sam. Still not sure if that was him or Mike who chastised the gamer, though. It's a shame either way that the demon will surely do the something bad to me if I call him out for it now. Reaching the cabin, I see that some pizza has arrived, which unfortunately has been burnt. Hopefully this is the last losers' meal that Chef burns. I wouldn't know about the next ones since I got voted off in the final five last time and the cameras didn't show any dinners for that or the final four.

Either way, tonight's dish overall isn't too bad, just crispier than I would prefer. Scott joins me at the cabin doorstep and we eat together. He looks rather sad and tells me "It sucks how Sam went home today, guilty of robbing marshmallows or not. I promised not to vote the guy off today and will miss him. We had just recently become closer and he was my only friend in the game at this point other than you. At least we got to say goodbye before his flushing. I suppose Gwen could also be counted as one to some extent, but not as much as you or him. She shouldn't have been booted yesterday either, even with both arms broken." after we finish eating.

I give him a sympathy hug, saying "We sadly can't always get what we want. Though I can't exactly prove it right now, something tells me he was innocent. I doubt he would really steal from the stash like that. Chris will find out for sure either way and probably tell us once he knows the answer."

His spirits seem to lift at least a little. Though having a friend get eliminated sucks, he still has me. A sad thought is that Scott would probably be toast if left on his own. Let's hope we both survive the next challenge as well. We part ways and I go into the girls' side of the cabin to get my toiletries. I could use a shower right about now. Lindsay isn't inside, so I can safely undress in here and wrap a towel around my torso. I grab my shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss as I head over to the communal bathroom. It looks like she had similar thoughts as I hear one of the showers running when I arrive. Out of curtesy, I state "You have company, so take caution as you exit! There's also dinner at our cabin." as I place my toiletries near one of the sinks and enter a shower with my shampoo and soap, hanging up my towel nearby.

"Thanks for the heads-up." the blonde replies, and then her water is shut off shortly afterwards.

I spend the next half hour showering as Lindsay exits. This does help get off today's grime even if inferior to the hotel showers. Since nobody else is in here, I can get my pajamas in safely without the risk of being seen naked. I then brush and floss my teeth before taking my belongings back to the cabin. Something that just occurred to me now is that Scott is the only one in the boys' side as Mike/Mal got the hotel tonight and took Zoey as a guest. Too bad I can't go into his side without raising eyebrows. Is he still inside, though? I knock on the window and say "Scott, if you're in there, then I hope one of us wins tomorrow. I'd love a night in the hotel with you."

After a pause, I hear a response of "I am, and that sounds nice, but I'm not really in a talkative mood right now. See you in the morning."

"Talk to you then." I reply, respecting his wishes to not converse much.

Making my way back into the girls' side, I take out my book and read that for a couple hours before I feel drowsy. Lindsay has already fallen asleep by this point. May as well do the same. I then put that book away and climb into bed, letting sleep take over as I hope for another victory.

 **Scott loses a friend. How will Chris react upon learning what happened to the marshmallows? Find out in the next chapter, the ice cream challenge that brought on the notorious chart in canon. That chart won't happen here. It could take a while for me to come up with how things will play out, though I already have decided who gets flushed then as well as who else gets the boot when prior to the finals.** **Regardless, I probably won't finish Chapter 15 before 2019 begins. Feel free to think of this one as an early Christmas gift.** **I really like Sam and wanted him to go much further than in the real TDAS, but had to make a sacrifice at some point.**

 **Reason for elimination: Mal knew Sam was a threat to his plans after confronting him (much like when Alejandro did in the original timeline), so he orchestrated the gamer's elimination by framing him as a thief with the marshmallow-smudged game console, which our CIT correctly suspects but can't yet prove. It was natural that he'd get a sense of the demon after winning the boat race and witnessing him (even if only briefly before Mike takes back control and no DVD is found) during his night at the hotel.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place), Gwen (7th place), Sam (6th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Courtney, Lindsay, Mike, Scott, Zoey**

 **Chapter posted: December 16, 2018.**


	15. We All Scream For Ice Cream

**Here we go. The ice cream challenge from canon had Courtney's notorious elimination chart. Without that around, things will go quite differently. I'm first replying to reviews that came in since I posted the last chapter.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Of course Mal will get rid of threats; he's not foolish enough to just let them stay.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Your guesses on the votes are correct. Read on to see if you were also right on the elimination order. I already know who gets 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place, but am not spoiling that here.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Sam's departure had a similar rationale that Alejandro's did in canon; win the boat race, find out about Mal when visiting the hotel that night, confront him on the matter, and then get set up for elimination as a threat to the demon's plans. I really enjoy the gamer, and he's one of my top 3 favorite TDROTI contestants along with Zoey and Mike (undecided on exact rankings), but realized this was a natural course of action after having him win the first post-merge challenge of this fic. Sorry he couldn't go further. At least he got past the merge here.**

 **SideshowJazz1: Sorry if I overused "the pigtailed girl" before; it's only used once in this chapter and I just didn't want to use the name "Zoey" too often. That would've gotten overly repetitive. Thanks for the suggestions on synonyms for her.**

 **That British Guy: Definitely not happening in this fic.**

 **TheNoobyBoy: I'm not spoiling things here. Just read this chapter to find out.**

 **BrandonKR: Yeah, there was no way I could kick Duncan off without giving him his comeuppance (jail time). I strongly despise him as well for cheating on the CIT without remorse and for often shamelessly being a general jackass (largely towards Harold). Tossing that dingo at Cody in TDWT was going way overboard. Not heroic at all, though Chris liked to torment him (both here and in canon) with his placement on the Heroic Hamsters.**

 **jthm7izim: Glad you've enjoyed my story so far! As for Fang, I cannot comment on him now due to spoilers.**

 **By the way, kudos to GlitchWarrior for giving this fic its 100th review. Quite a milestone there.**

 **Time for the final five!**

Today is a big day. Why do I say that? Because it's when I made that stupid chart which spelled my end. So not happening again. Lindsay is still asleep when I wake up. I hear a knocking on my door. Is that Chef with our breakfast or perhaps Scott? Better go open it. Our cook is here with a basket of apples. Nice to start my morning with something more edible than yesterday or the day before!

I take one of the apples and bite into it. Like when first living through this day, even though there are some bruises, it's a vast improvement over the burnt English muffins and the smelly oatmeal I ate before. If only I got the winner's breakfast this morning. Better save some for my boyfriend when he shows up as well as my sleeping cabinmate. Once I finish eating an apple, I go get dressed and clean my teeth in the communal bathroom.

The ginger and the blonde are awake by the time I get back. Both are eating from the basket. Since their mouths are full and we still have some time before the challenge starts, I simply wave as I pass by and head for the confessional. Time to let the public know something. Once I've reached and entered the outhouse, I tell its camera "Call me crazy if you must, but I have a gut feeling Sam was telling the truth about those stolen marshmallows and got framed. Do any of you really think he would ever steal things from our host like that? I sure don't after watching the last season and interacting with him in this one. It's too out-of-character for me to believe given how he's one of the nicest guys to compete on this show. Yes, McLean is a terrible person who doesn't deserve even half of his luxuries, but the gamer wouldn't go out of his way to do anything of the sort. Proving this right now is admittedly difficult when I above all else am going off instinct. I'll probably find out for sure today who did that since Chris said he'd review the camera footage of his stash to see who ravaged through them. Any recording of the ordeal will help."

Shortly after I exit, Chris announces through his speakerphone "Attention punching bags; please gather in the forest clearing and bring your padded undies because today's challenge is a butt-kicker!"

Time to make my way over. Oh boy. Once I met up with Gwen and she asked for reassurance about finale plans on this day in the original timeline, I lied and said we would go there together when the truth was that I wanted to go with Scott. I would subsequently state in the confessional "Gwen is great, but if you ask me, winning is everything. This is the farthest I've ever made it on Total Drama, and I am going all the way!" before going into my plans to eliminate Zoey that day, followed by Mike, and then having Ms. Goth finish in third with my boyfriend going to the finals and ignorantly presuming he would let me win the thing.

As you know, I deeply regret the whole ordeal. Scott became so mad over the chart that he was fine with anybody else winning. It's a sign he was one of the people who voted for me that night. I reluctantly voted myself off as well since there was no other way to regain Gwen's trust. The truth is I also wasn't thinking straight then as I left that thing in the confessional outhouse, plus the farthest I really went was in season 2 where I got fourth place, not this one where I ended up in fifth place because of that chart. Having the goth around for the challenge this time would've been quite nice. If the multi-personality teen wins immunity again, then I'll stick with yesterday's choice and opt to flush his girlfriend once more as she remains my next biggest threat, regardless of whether the main man or Mal is in control. He otherwise has my vote.

Without the stupid chart around, it's harder for me to predict how this challenge will go. All I know is that Mike needs to lose in order to oust his evil persona. How could I expose him without endangering myself if I lose the challenge, though? Directly confronting Mal didn't go very well for Sam yesterday. I have no doubt it led to the demon stealing those marshmallows and framing him for it, thus giving others a reason to vote the gamer off. There was also getting held by the shirt collar and blackmailing him into keeping quiet on their exchange.

As for yesterday's 3-2-1 vote, I figure Sam voted for Lindsay while Scott and I voted for Zoey and everyone else voted for the gaming nut. It's much more likely than Mr. Gamer voting for Pigtails as they had become friends to at least some extent, though Mike was probably closer to him than she was, and I can't think of any good reason why Scott would vote for the blonde when he had the chance to take out one of his enemies. What I can't tell is whether Mal voted Sam off to complete a scheme or Mike did after being shocked by the marshmallow ordeal. Part of me wishes Dawn could be here as her ability to read auras could detect Mike vs. Mal moments, but that would also be bad for yours truly as she'd surely sense how I've gone back in time and expose it, effectively destroying my chances of winning as the others would surely want me eliminated for having such an advantage.

Scott thankfully seems to be in a better mood now than he was after last night's elimination ceremony. He smiles when holding my hand as we walk over. I understand being upset over a friend getting the boot, especially given how down I felt when Gwen was voted off two days ago. Hopefully I can avenge Sam and get the demon eliminated today. Does Chris yet know the truth about his marshmallows? Only time will tell.

The five of us head for the woods. I just wait for instructions even though I already know what we're supposed to do today: gather three scoops of ice cream (one chocolate, one strawberry, one vanilla) with a cherry, some peanuts, and some chocolate sauce. We then bring all of that to Chris's interns for them to supposedly eat it only for the host to change his mind at the last minute and have us eat our own sundaes, with immunity going to whoever finishes eating first. Mike/Mal won't win today if I can help it. Here we go.

"You look very goop-I mean good-today!" my boyfriend compliments on the way with a nervous chuckle, and I simply smile as I give him a "Thanks, and I can say the same." in response.

OK, so he can still apparently get at least somewhat flustered around me. Did he forget the gamer's words on rehearsing or just slip up due to nerves? Not really complaining either way as I know he just wanted to say something nice. Scott really has been a gentleman with me so far. I'm quite grateful for that. Experienced or not, he knows how to treat a lady well.

"If you need help lifting anything, just let me know." the ginger adds and briefly releases my hand to stop and flex his muscles, awkwardly adding "Yeah, that's the stuff; arms like a cheetah!"

Same bragging line as when I first lived through this challenge? Should've seen that coming. Lindsay can be seen through the corner of my eye quickly facepalming at the line. Even she knows how odd that sounds. Then again, the blonde knows more about romance than him given her relationship with Tyler. I reply with "Though I appreciate the offer, you don't need to show off when I'm already yours."

Scott simply shrugs his shoulders and we continue onwards. When approaching Mike and Zoey, he tells them "Hope you two got lots of sleep because I'm feeling as strong as an ox!" while flexing his muscles again.

Time for a major game changer. This was when Mr. Multiple Personalities questioned "Don't you mean strong as a rat?" in the original timeline and exposed my chart with Scott having a rat tail. Now he can't ask such a thing when I didn't make it this time. Gwen was so angered by the revelation that it made her think I was only pretending to want a friendship. That of course wasn't the case as I told the goth when begging for her not to boot me off, even though I—very reluctantly—ended up voting for myself that night as the only possible way to regain her trust and already sensed I was getting flushed regardless. Let's see what happens now.

The multi-personality teen stays silent while his girlfriend insists "It was enough to be alert for today." and adjusts the flower in her hair a bit as we resume walking.

Once everybody has gathered, Chris announces "Behold; my sad, skinny, interns!" as he gestures towards a male intern and a female one, and the female groans in hunger before he adds "I totally forgot to feed them this week."

"You truly are fucked up!" Lindsay chastises before anyone can say anything else, and I must agree with that statement.

"That doesn't matter; today's challenge is a race to make a delicious sundae and serve it up to gold old what's-his-name and who's-it over here." he replies.

Our host has just been lazy and cruel with the interns. I damn well would make sure anybody I hired was fed. Thankfully the blonde has actual integrity and called him out on his shit. On another note, I don't hear any laughs from Mal like in the original timeline after hearing the interns were unfed, and I know the real Mike would never laugh at others' pain like that (or my misery after the chart exposure). That was one instance I caught him when re-watching this episode. Though it irked me when I lived in the moment, I didn't suspect anything about the demon back then as I thought Duncan was just making crazy talk when trying to warn Gwen and me about him, naïvely thinking no such evil persona existed. No laughing at their hunger fortunately means the main man in is control now.

"It sadly doesn't surprise me that you can't think of their names." Mike comments.

"Whatever." The host dismisses as Chef walks over to give us empty bowls, then gesturing towards a screen displaying a map of the island and where we need to go as he continues with "To make this fun for me, you'll have to travel to the most dangerous areas on the island to procure the ingredients of this dessert. Your ice cream awaits at the top of the diving cliff, which the ice machine has been making nice and slippery all week. The maraschino cherries are perched on a rock in the swamp. You'll find crushed peanuts in the old cafeteria, and the final ingredient—chocolate sauce—can be found in a pool surrounding a recently planted mutant fire flower."

All week? I was just at the top of the diving cliff three nights ago with Scott (where we shared a romantic kiss in the moonlight) and it didn't at all feel cold! Maybe he started count with the day after that. Oh well. After said flower flames a bear close by eating some chocolate, it loses all fur yet somehow lives. I tell McLean "Clearly you like inflicting pain on others again and again. Chances are that if I had a nickel for every time, I'd own the bank, or maybe enough to buy this show from you. Sick bastard." as our cook hands us the bowls.

"What can I say? Prison changed me for the better!" he retorts and then chuckles before adding "The first person to have their sundae completely consumed by the interns wins. Oh, I almost forgot something; I reviewed camera footage from last night and found out Sam never took from my load of marshmallows. Time to show you what really happened. It's frankly disgraceful."

We all gasp even though I already sensed the gamer was innocent. Chris looks angrier ever since mentioning his marshmallow stash. The screen shows a recording of the marshmallow stash. Evil chuckling is heard. I'd know sound that anywhere. A sinister voice comments "Sam knowing that I'm Mal and how his buddy Mike doesn't have full control means he needs to get eliminated. Time to make sure that happens in case he goes breaks his promise not to share our exchange with others. He'd be an idiot not to abide by my blackmail if he wants to keep his game systems intact. Still surprised the gamer caught on to me either way. Michael's ignorance is my gain as the fool hasn't even got much idea what's been happening to his body lately. So long, Samuel. Try talking your way out of marshmallow getting on an old game system when Chris sees that and how his supply is short! Your friend is bound to vote you off for stealing if he somehow regains control of this body in time for the elimination ceremony and learns about the incriminating console, or I'll be sure to do so myself. Good thing Mike winning today's challenge also means I'm safe from going home tonight." as Mal is shown smudging some marshmallow onto the game system, eating some of the marshmallows, and tossing out all except for five of the others.

The demon laughs as he exits the marshmallow room and leaves the console near what remains. Just as I suspected. All eyes are on Mr. Multiple Personalities now, who has a look of pure horror on his face as he drops his bowl in shock.

"Michael Albright, you're very lucky to have had immunity last night and how that was just an alternate personality raiding the stash instead of the real you. I believe you know what I'll do if that happens again." Chris angrily states.

"Mal came back!? OH, DEAR FUCK NO!" Mike panics in despair, then rants "I'll be damned. That's a personality I thought I got rid of long before joining Total Drama! I'm beyond sorry for anything he did or plans to do! It all makes sense now. No wonder I've been blanking out from time to time or felt like something was wrong with me! He must've been what came back when Manitoba Smith got knocked out with a shovel that day on the beach and who Chester was trying to warn me about before fading away. Not blaming Scott since he couldn't have known what would happen with that whack plus it was a complete accident when turning to run from bees. After losing contact with my other personalities following that day, another shovel hit from somehow thankfully brought them back after Zoey and I thought that could work like a reset button, though doesn't seem to have gotten rid of that evil thing. I'm still thankful Courtney was willing help us test out that theory by giving the hit as it reconnected me with the other personas. What's worse is that Chester seems to have disappeared for good last night without a trace along with Manitoba and Svetlana earlier this morning! Chances are Mal wiped them out somehow. Of all my alternate personalities, I'm stuck with a demon from hell that I thought was long gone, and Vito the douchebag. I need help to get rid of that evil thing and owe Sam an apology for voting him off last night when Mal tricked us with the marshmallow ordeal. Yes, I heard the warning last night about immediate disqualification, and won't let those get stolen again. One thing I do remember about him in the past is that he doesn't have any specific trigger unlike my other personas. Run and save yourselves if Mal turns up again as I'd hate for him to hurt anybody!"

Zoey puts her own bowl down and gives her boyfriend a comforting hug as he catches his breath. She assures him "It's not your fault. I know you're better than Mal. Fight him from within. If you can remember how you first got rid of that persona in the first place, then do it again."

He seems calmer now. They release, and the multi-personality teen responds "I wish it were simple. To do that-" before getting cut off by Mal interjecting with "Nope, Michael won't take me down so easily!" as hair drops over one eye.

"Stop possessing Mike's body, Mal!" Lindsay commands.

"Oh right, you people saw me on camera. Looks like the jig is up. I've had on-and-off control ever since that shovel hit on the beach. Mike previously thought he got rid of me, but I had just been laying low for a while, and now am in charge! Too bad he had to find out about my return like this. Chester had to get erased as he got in the way of my plans. Same with Manitoba and Svetlana. Vito hasn't given me any trouble yet, so I'll spare him for now. I have no shame and am indeed powerful enough to get rid of them like that. Let's just get on with this challenge so I can get closer to winning the million. No need to repeat it as I heard what Chris said while stuck in Michael's mind even if I couldn't take control sooner today." says the demon as he picks up a bowl.

"Get real; you can't expect anybody to let you win!" Scott snaps.

"Challenge time already!" Chris impatiently butts in while pulling out an air horn, telling us "On your mark, get set, go!"

We all start running once the horn is pressed. Taking down Mal should be easier now that everybody knows about him. Sam, you will be avenged. The demon unfortunately is running rather quickly and we're all struggling to catch up to him. Scott comes closest and shoves his way past the demon as they climb the snowy hill, telling him "Out of the way; you have to lose, I mean I have to win!" while climbing up the cliff.

Very nice shove right there. As he gets to the top, Chris announces "This just in: Scott is first to reach the ice cream!"

"Yeah!" I hear my boyfriend cheer as I reach the top, but then caution him with "Watch where you land!"

Scott slipped on the ice and is headed for the edge! As much as I want to defeat Mal, I can't let the ginger fall off this cliff. He quickly goes "No!" while slipping and I place my bowl to the side to run over and help him.

A little before he can fall off the edge, I manage to grab his free hand and pull him back. Last time around he barely caught onto an icicle and somehow managed to climb up with the bowl on his head. Not letting him go through such agony again. He gives a grateful hug and thanks me with "I owe you big time for that!"

"In return, help me make sure Mal loses so we can flush him tonight." I reply as we let go from the hug.

McLean then informs everybody "Mike/Mal has scooped up first place!"

"Consider it done." Scott tells me as we scramble for the ice cream stash, getting one scoop of each flavor and then sliding down the hill.

Lindsay and Zoey are both struggling to climb up. Too bad we can't stop to help them without the risk of a monster getting too far ahead. On the plus side, that bear whose fur got burned off didn't come up before the ginger and I exited today unlike the original timeline where it got angry at him for accidentally knocking ice cream onto its head and chased him to the swamp where it would fight an alligator. At the bottom, I see a certain somebody stop for a moment and ponder "Ice cream in my bowl already? I don't remember collecting any of this."

While Mike evidently regaining control is quite nice, he still needs to lose this challenge. His inner demon needs to be gone ASAP. That persona unfortunately seems to have quickly taken back over as an evil voice can be heard commanding "Can't stop now, Michael; there's a challenge to win!" and resumes running.

I really wish I could help the real Mike. He doesn't want innocent people to get hurt. Better keep up with his demon in the meantime. There's no other choice right now. We follow him towards the swamp for those cherries, gaining some speed as we approach it. By some miracle, I happen to pass Mal right before I enter the swamp and trudge ahead. Our host can be heard saying "Courtney's first to the cherries! Will she keep her lead? Not if Snappy has anything to say about it." as I approach the cherry bowl and take one for my bowl.

Hold on, Snappy? That's the alligator that raids this place! It shows up and looks hungry. I scream at the sight when I turn around. This doesn't last long as Mal knocks the alligator away by stomping on its head after swinging in on a vine, and then he pushes me into the swamp! So not cool. Good thing I kept my sundae clean, though, as things didn't go well for me when a bird vomited on mine when first living through this challenge.

"And Mal retakes the lead!" McLean informs us.

That better not last for long. I see Scott slowly making his way through the swamp, wary of Snappy. Worrying about gators is understandable, though I personally wouldn't opt for his pace. Our blonde approaches the swamp while I make my way towards the cafetoria and I caution "Watch out for alligators when you go for the cherries!" as we cross paths.

She nervously gulps after hearing that. How would you react upon hearing such dangerous beings could cross your path? Lindsay just can't let that slow her down. Not sure where Zoey is, but falling behind is bad right now. Continuing to speed my way ahead, I see our demon entering the cafetoria as Chris tells us "And Mal is the first one to enter the crushed nut zone, where he'll face off against the newly rebuilt Total Drama Machine!"

That machine happens to be what Alejandro was placed inside to heal after being burnt my lava. The robot attacking others was quite scary. I'd hate for it to pummel me! Making my way inside, I see it has already gone after Mal, who then sidetracks the machine with "Look who showed up; Courtney!"

What a sly fucker! It turns around to face me. Better start running and get my peanuts fast. This is no simple task when I could easily get hurt. I dodge as the robot swings its hammer at me, and I can't help noticing that it the only damage was a repaired cut down the middle of its torso, though the hammer was added on here just like the last time I lived through this challenge. It obviously is because Duncan cut that open to get Alejandro out of the suit when I exposed its identity instead of it being ravaged by sharks like in the original timeline. The head is intact since Chris removed that before the robot was cut open. I keep dodging it some more, grabbing some peanuts just as the pigtailed girl enters this room. Better exit while I can. Sorry Zoey, but you're on your own with that robot unless Lindsay and/or Scott can help you, both of whom I see running towards here in the distance.

Getting back to the game, I pick up speed and try to catch Mal. He can be seen approaching a rock near the fire flower and chocolate. Once our demon reaches that, the host can be heard announcing "And Mal is the first to reach the chocolate fire zone!" before the evil persona mutters "Sweet!" and then Chris continues "But Courtney is hot on his heels and seems determined to beat him, so it's still anybody's game!"

That's right I'm catching up and am hellbent on winning! How fast is this guy, though? Did he perhaps inherit Svetlana's athleticism somehow? Maybe having a big target on his back after being exposed for the marshmallows and not being Mike is motivating him to try harder to secure invincibility. I know it did for me after the big chart reveal. Without stopping, I go and grab some chocolate while the evil persona is still behind that rock. The big fire flower attacks me, and I just barely manage to dodge its attack and not get hurt. Time to get running again. Chris tells us "Courtney exits the fire zone and retakes the lead!"

It feels nice to not have burnt chocolate coals this time; Mal destroyed the fire flower last time around by plugging its mouth with a rock, burning the chocolate in the process. I took some anyway as I was sure all ingredients were necessary. Scott just opted for dirt (to my disgust). Those coals would melt my ice cream. It didn't work well for me. After I pointed out how Mr. Multiple Personalities had purposefully burnt the chocolate and asked whether it would've been better to skip that ingredient altogether and Chris affirmed it would be, I nervously added "Well, now I know for next time?" before we all had to eat our sundaes. Little did I know then there'd be a "next time" that I'm living in right now.

Good thing I don't have to repeat that fiasco. Better not let that bird vomit on my ice cream again. Speaking of birds, I just realized I passed by that shortcut I took last time around while caught up in running and my thoughts plus the bird doesn't show up near the fire flower until later. Too late to turn back now. On the plus side, it can't spoil my sundae this time. I foolishly thought the starving interns would be grateful to have anything to eat at all once I gave them my bird vomit sundae until our host revealed the twist that we had to eat our ice cream instead.

Mal is catching up as I look behind me instead of staying back to burn the plant. It goes to show how determined he is to reach the finish line first this time around. Can't let him win now! As he passes ahead, I accidentally trip and grab onto part of his shirt. The thing rips off as I hit the ground. Good thing my sundae remains intact. A New Jersey voice then goes "Ey, the Vito has arrived, and there's ice cream here? Cool!"

Looking up, I evidently brought out Vito without trying to. His hair is even slicked back. Even he is welcome over the evil persona. He reminds me of a guy known as "The Situation" from Jersey Shore. Rather obnoxious and I do understand why Zoey wouldn't be too keen on this personality even if the also-obnoxious Anne Maria wasn't into him. I guess only people like Ms. Hairspray find any appeal in Vito, especially given her own resemblance to Jersey Shore's Snooki. Anyway, as I get back on my feet, Mal unfortunately regains control and snaps "Keep out of this, Jersey boy; I have a victory to claim!" as the hair falls again over one eye and he resumes running.

That didn't last long. I get back on my feet and collect my own ice cream before I sprint onwards to catch up with the demon. He somehow manages to find some spare T-shirt lying around in the woods and quickly put it on without losing his lead. This run to the finish line is rather long. Everyone else manages to gather their ingredients and come closer to Mal and me before it can be seen. Scott has used chocolate sauce instead of dirt this time since it never got burnt by the fire flower exploding. We all gain on closer on our main target. As the finish line approaches, the first one to cross it is…

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Lindsay!

I don't know how, but she apparently got some sort of last-minute speed boost and barely passed the line before I do. Mal crosses it after me, followed closely by Zoey, and finally the ginger.

"I won it all!" the blonde cheerfully exclaims.

Sorry, I wish it was that simple, but McLean has something else in mind. He announces "Surprise! Change of plans; you have to eat your own sundaes!"

This worked against me last time around with bird vomit on my dish. Good thing I don't have to repeat that here. As some form of punishment for trying to give that to the interns, our host wouldn't let me eat anything else until my sundae was finished. I just couldn't stomach that and never finished the thing. After a bit of cheering as this ice cream does admittedly look quite tasty, Chef gives us all spoons as Chris instructs "First to finish wins immunity. Everyone else is on the chopping block, so dig in!"

We all promptly start chowing. Not gonna lie; this sundae tastes very good when unspoiled. I eat it as quickly as I can to secure immunity. The first one to finish is…

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Mal!

The evil persona has unfortunately gotten another victory. He holds his bowl up triumphantly, proclaiming "All done!"

Our host says "Boom! Just like that; Mal wins the challenge and immunity!"

The rest of us groan in defeat. This sucks big time. Now I know who to vote for. While I have nothing against Zoey as a person, she's the next biggest threat to my victory with Mal being safe from the flush tonight. Not a spiteful vote at all. Only strategy.

"Can we still finish this ice cream, though?" Lindsay inquires. "It tastes so good!"

"Fine by me." Chris answers, and we do so.

"Hold on, did someone win yet, and why am I suddenly wearing a different shirt?" Mr. Multiple Personalities ponders.

I'm grateful Mike has retaken control again. Even his hair is back up to its normal style. At the same time, I need to make sure he loses the next challenge to get Mal out of the game. In the meantime, I answer "In a way, both you and Mal won at the same time when he finished eating the ice cream before anybody else. Your other shirt got ripped and Vito briefly surfaced before that demon took back over and found some other shirt lying around. Probably did that to keep control. How that shirt got in the woods is beyond me."

The multi-personality teen seems conflicted by this. I feel the same and am sure everybody else does too. He responds with "Though Vito can be a pain in the ass, he's now the only non-evil personality I have left other than my main self, and I'd much rather have him surface than Mal. Feel free to take my shirt off to bring him out if you have no other way to keep the evil thing out of control. The less Mal is out and about, the better. Chances are I'll go visit a psychiatrist after the season ends no matter how often he surfaces."

My boyfriend is known to be enemies with Mike, but in a rare moment of sympathy for him, he says "That probably be for the best. Though I know we didn't get along before, your anguish isn't something I'd wish upon even my worst enemy, and I'm very sorry you've suffered such agony. Hope this gets sorted out sooner than later."

"Thank you, Scott. That means more than you know." Mike replies as the two shake hands.

I never thought I'd see anything like that happen between them. Lindsay then asks us "For tonight's vote, no hard feelings regardless of who gets the flush, agreed?"

The rest of us all affirm "Agreed." and then part ways.

OK, I feel rather anxious now. This was where I went out last time around. Though I didn't repeat my mistakes from the original timeline, the others might end up targeting me with Mike/Mal having invincibility. I obviously have no chance in hell of talking him into voting off his girlfriend. Could Lindsay be persuaded to join me, though? Might be worth a try. Chances are the ginger is already set on doing so anyway. I don't need to worry about his choice to flush, though hope he survives too. Having that immunity idol still with me would be nice. Oh well.

On my way back to the main camp grounds, I pass by the confessional outhouse. I decide to enter it and tell the camera "My instinct was right; Sam didn't take those marshmallows after all. Mr. Gamer has too much integrity to do such a thing. I really do feel sorry for Mike suffering with Mal taking over his body. The sooner that evil personality is gone, the better. Getting professional help would be a wise choice when he has the chance."

Exiting the confessional, I make my way back to the losers' cabin. Our busty blonde is sitting on the doorsteps and applying some lip gloss in front of a mini mirror. May as well talk to her when nobody else is around. I walk over and say "Lindsay, there's something you need to hear. First off, I'd like to say sorry for being a major jerk to you and Beth in the past. I was totally out of line in the past and you both had every right to resent me for it. Re-watching past episodes showed me how wrong my actions often were. Should've told you this sooner. Even if you aren't willing to forgive me right now, I had to say it while I could. Please also give her my apologies when you get the chance unless she's already watching the show now." and then turn to the camera to add "Beth, if you ever see this episode and it doesn't cut me out here, then I'm sorry for all that happened between us when we competed on Total Drama together. I was a total twat in the past, especially during season two, and really shouldn't have been. Hopefully we can put that behind us."

Lindsay takes a moment to process my comments. She replies with "Thank you for all of that. It probably wasn't easy to say."

"Owning up to my faults has been a struggle, yes, but I've gotten better at it over time." I affirm, and then add "Secondly, I hope we can vote together at least this once. I'm voting for Zoey tonight as she's a threat in this game and Mike/Mal is immune. We'd both have an easier time winning the million with at least one of them gone. Something for you to think about. Scott will probably opt to vote her off as well. Just please don't tell the others about this conversation."

"I'll give it some thought." she responds, and then heads into the cabin.

The blonde is a swing vote right now with Mike and Zoey likely voting together. Hopefully my case is convincing enough to join Scott and me in a joint vote. In the meantime, I should talk to him. After several minutes of searching, the ginger can be found near some water skipping rocks. I go up and say "Scott, I feel we should talk about tonight's vote."

"Since Mike and his Mal persona are safe from being flushed today, please tell me you want Zoey gone. My choice was for her to go home last night instead of Sam."

That officially confirms my suspicions on how the previous vote went. I affirm "Yes; she's a bigger threat than Lindsay and I certainly won't vote you off or myself. I of course know how you became enemies, even if your conflict has toned down since last season, though that has nothing to do with my choice. Personally, I have no grudge against her and it's only strategy. Lindsay might vote with us after I talked to talked to her earlier. Here's hoping we make the final four together."

"I hope so too. See you at the ceremony." he affirms, and then we share a brief kiss before parting ways.

To pass the time until we flush somebody, I decide to walk around the camp grounds. A few hours pass before the sun starts to fade. I then make my way back to the cabin. Once I reach it a couple hours later, I can't help noticing one of the tape recorders has been smashed and its remains are lying in front of the cabin steps. Not good! Thankfully the other one is intact when I look underneath the steps. I read its label to find the recorder that hasn't been destroyed is marked as "Fight It". Now that I think about it, this is better than only having the "Distress" tape around as I need something to bring Mike back in case Zoey is gone and Mal resurfaces.

Something tells me that demon wrecked the "Distress" tape. That would mean he has come back at some point. Did Mal play it first, though? Too bad I can't find out for certain. I take the "Fight It" tape and put it in my bag within the girls' side of the cabin. Not willing to risk this getting wrecked before I can use it. I then go over to the boys' side, which really is just Scott's side tonight (assuming he isn't voted off at the upcoming elimination ceremony) with Mike taking the hotel again. No answer when I knock on its door. Where could he be? In the meantime, I go back to my side of the cabin.

I grab my sketch pad from my bag. This time, I make a sketch of my boyfriend and me holding a giant check for one million dollars. Let's hope one of us truly wins that money. It takes about ten minutes to finish. That drawing goes into my bag. I then take out my law book and read for another hour. The multi-personality teen then knocks on the door and informs me "Chris says it's time for everybody to gather and vote."

"I'll be right there." I reply as I put the book away and then exit.

The others join us on our way to the campfire ceremony. Here we go. As we take our seats, McLean says "Elimination time! Tonight, Mike got immunity. Hard to say who will go home now when his Mal persona is also safe by extension. Chef thankfully got more marshmallows in time for the ceremony. I took four of them with me just in case and have those ready, but there thankfully was no raiding from my stash today. I checked the cameras. Now, it's time to vote!"

As Mr. Multiple Personalities won another challenge, he again gets the first vote. Scott goes up next. Zoey follows him. I then enter the confessional to cast my vote. Since Mike (and by extension Mal) can't be flushed tonight, I vote for his girlfriend as she remains my next biggest threat, drawing a big X over her portrait and signing my name on its back. Lindsay finishes it off once I exit. We all wait for Chris to review the footage and count the voting tally. He walks out with four marshmallows on a plate.

"Here we are everyone: the marshmallows. Again, these were kept with me in case of another marshmallow raiding. With Mike winning another challenge, he again gets the first marshmallow of the night." Chris says as he gives him said marshmallow, and then adds "I'll tell you now that Lindsay is also safe, and so is Scott."

They both get marshmallows. Uh-oh! That means Zoey and I are in the bottom two. We exchange very nervous looks. I'm sweating bullets right now and anxiously gulp. Maybe she and Mike talked Lindsay into voting me off. Did I just relive this season only to finish in the same spot as before? Were my efforts all for nothing? I wish I still had my immunity idol!

McLean holds the last marshmallow in his hand and continues with "Ladies, only one of you is going to the final four, and that is…

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Courtney!"

Thank God! I take a big sigh of relief and wipe the sweat away from my face as he hands me the final marshmallow. The next challenge will be harder when I haven't previously lived through that, but I'm ready for it tomorrow.

"Talk about a bummer." the girl with a flower complains as she frowns and sighs dejectedly.

"Sorry Zoey, but this is the end of your road." says the host.

"Seriously? She deserves to go further!" Mike protests.

His girlfriend then gets up to request "Please do whatever it takes to deal with Mal, OK? Don't let him get the better of you. I also hope you win this game for us both!"

"Of course!" he affirms while standing up. "I'll miss you dearly."

"You know I'm gonna miss you as well." She replies as they lovingly share a goodbye hug and a romantic kiss that lasts for several seconds.

"Enough with the affection! I need to flush her now." an impatient Chris interjects.

"Don't ruin their moment!" Lindsay remarks, which only makes the host roll his eyes and reply with "Whatever. Time to head for the docks and send Zoey home."

McLean takes everybody down to the toilet and places tonight's flushee inside it. He then turns to tell the audience "Alright! I've tabulated the votes, and tonight's loser with two votes in a 2-1-1-1 vote is Zoey!"

"Good luck Mike! I love you and will meet you back home or at the finale if Chris brings back the eliminated contestants." Zoey tells her boyfriend.

"I love you too, Zoey. It's a shame you got the most votes. If I win the money, then I'll be sure to split it with you!" he replies.

"Consider yourself lucky that you won today, or it would be you in the toilet now instead of her. You are so on your own for the next challenge." Scott remarks.

"Good point from Scott, now farewell!" Chris says as he presses the button and our loser of the night screams while getting flushed.

I'm not sure why, but the cameras didn't show any marshmallow distribution for this episode when I re-watched it. All that got shown after Chris saying the ginger and I were "on thin ice" and why that night (he had no more allies left while I backstabbed and tried to give interns a bad sundae) before giving the voting totals was a confessional of my boyfriend where he rhetorically asked "After that chart, who can ever trust Courtney again?" and saying he didn't look like my drawing at all. Hold on a moment. 2 votes got Zoey cut from the contest? That means Lindsay didn't vote for her tonight and that everyone other than Mike got a vote. Oh well. Not sure who voted for me, but the important thing is I survived this elimination ceremony. So glad I'm not in the toilet! That ended up taking me to some beach with sharks where I tried offering them my sundae to avoid getting eaten (Chris insisted I take that with me for my flush). It revolted the creatures so much that they vomited over my head. I admit I deserved it then for my actions even if it was super disgusting.

Something Scott said about me following my flush in the original timeline was "Well, she wasn't ALL bad." after Chris and the other contestants made clear I wouldn't be missed. It did give me hope when re-watching the episode that there was still something between the ginger and me even if he voted for me (which seemed quite likely given his question about how I could be trusted) and refused to give our relationship another chance after the chart ordeal. With both of us making it to the next challenge, one of us really needs to win as there will be a double elimination and I want Scott in the finals with me. Mike will inevitably get eliminated tomorrow unless he wins yet again.

"Congrats on making it to the final four. Mike, the spa hotel is all yours now because from now on, winners can't anyone along with them." our host tells us.

The multi-personality teen sighs dejectedly and responds with "My choice for a hotel guest got flushed anyway." before walking away.

Mike has a very sad look on his face. It of course is quite understandable when his girlfriend is out of the game. Part of me now feels guilty for voting her off. At the same time, I know it would be tough to defeat Zoey in the finals. Is there some way to console him without giving away how I'm partially responsible for tonight's elimination?

 **Another cliffhanger ending! Mal has been exposed, but got lucky and won the challenge! Mike is horrified at his return. Thankfully he's in control right now instead of the demon. It's a painful loss for him to see Zoey booted off. Chapter 16 will explore his emotions. I should have that and Chapter 17 up before February 2019 begins, though the next challenge could take a while for me to write as Courtney will enter new territory there and I'll have to come up with new ideas for her.**

 **Reason for elimination: With Mike securing immunity again, Courtney's strategic side knew his girlfriend was also a major threat and opted to kick her off to have an easier time in the next challenge. While I really like Zoey, this was a natural course of action with Mal trying extra hard to avoid getting flushed after today's exposure, even if Lindsay didn't vote with the CIT.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place), Gwen (7th place), Sam (6th place), Zoey (5th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Courtney, Lindsay, Mike, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: January 6, 2019.**


	16. Heart to Heart

**Time for heart to heart matters with more than one contestant. I needed another non-challenge chapter before the finale to give this fic some diversity instead of just focusing on challenges (that could otherwise get too monotonous), and this felt like an appropriate time to do so. Don't worry, I didn't rush this chapter even if it's only out one day after the previous one; it was just something I had lots of spare time to work on and happened to get done quickly. Let's get more review responses done first.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Nope; Lindsay has more to do here! The 2-1-1-1 vote was intentionally made ambiguous to leave some room for imagination.**

 **SideshowJazz1: Intriguing theory on personas switching places, but remember how Mike was imprisoned within his own subconscious in canon and goes on some journey with his other alters to stop Mal from within (heading for a tower). Another thing to keep in mind about him and Zoey is that they had different votes during the season 4 episode "The Treasure Island of Dr. McLean" even with the main man in control (he votes for Scott, she votes for Dakota), so I wouldn't entirely rule out the idea of that happening again here, though can understand why you'd think Mal cast the most recent vote in his place. This was the last vote of the season as the final four has an automatic disqualification for last place and then the winner gets a sole choice of who to take to the finals. You'll find out in Chapter 17 how that goes. What I can safely say without spoilers is that Mike won't throw the challenge as Zoey wants him to keep going and win first place for them both even when she's now out of the game (much to his dismay). There were at least some romantic Zoke (Zoey x Mike) moments before she left which do help him. As for Courtney in TDA, it definitely would've been tougher for her if Duncan was eliminated before the final four.**

 **That British Guy: You aren't the only one who feels that way.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Lindsay is one of my favorites too and I wanted to give the blonde her best season yet by getting this far (her canon peak ranking was 6th place out of 15 in TDA). Scottney did indeed end on a sour note in canon, and I wanted to give them something better here as I do enjoy the pairing (which I'm sure this fic has already made clear).**

 **TheNoobyBoy: Spicing up indeed! Not giving away now who goes next or who the finalists are. Wait until the next chapter to find out.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Mike will definitely try to maintain more control over Mal following his discovery.**

 **Continuing with our story.**

As Mike leaves the docks with his head hanging low, I sense he could probably use a hug, but should that really come from me? Seeing Mr. Multiple Personalities this way really makes me feel sorry for him. Everybody heads back towards campgrounds. On the way, Lindsay sympathetically tells him "As sad as this might be, Mike, remember Zoey would want you to stay strong and win. Not just be depressed for the rest of the game. We know the real you and how you aren't truly a bad guy."

"Thank you, and while I know I can't just let my grief get the better of me, competing will be harder now without the one I love around." He replies with sadness in his voice. "It was nice to win and get another night in the hotel, but today's also been very stressful with discovering Mal has been on the loose plus tonight's elimination just makes things worse. I miss her already and would've loved to go to the finals with her."

He starts to tear up a bit. The multi-personality teen sniffles and quickly wipes his eyes. This is understandable given today's combination of events. In some effort to help, I add "Lindsay's right. We know Mal isn't you, and if it's any consolation, he can't hurt your beloved now."

"In a way, that does somewhat help. I really would've hated for him to hurt her." today's winner responds as his tears stop, or at least seem to. "Though I appreciate the comfort, I need some time to myself. See you later."

Mike then goes into the hotel. He undoubtedly is heartbroken with Zoey gone even if he hasn't burst out crying. I can't blame him for feeling that way. How would you react upon learning you had some evil supposedly-gone-until-recently persona lurking around and that you couldn't be with the one you loved? Some of my guilt subsides after knowing I helped comfort him in at least some capacity, even if it was only a little bit. Let's hope she doesn't have to deal with the same sharks that I did. Either way, thank god those creatures didn't eat me. They were too grossed out for that after sniffing my sundae.

In the meantime, Lindsay, Scott, and I go back to our cabin. Wonder what tonight's dinner will be. I see some burnt swordfish is sitting on a big plate. Seriously Chef, stop burning these meals! Better fill my stomach before I starve, though. We each take some and eat in silence. Nobody is really in a much of a mood for talking right now. The blonde then walks away after finishing 15 minutes later.

After the meal, my boyfriend tells me "Calling today eventful would be an understatement. On another note, making the final four together kicks ass!"

"Quite true." I agree. "Right now, it's the two of us versus one and one. Maybe even three against one if Lindsay teams up with us next challenge. That should help our odds to at least some extent."

"Sounds nice. On another note, no matter who wins, I'd like to thank you for everything we've done this season. It makes this better than the last one I competed on. When you said yes to us being more than friends, that was one of the best things that's ever happened to me. No joke or exaggeration. If either of us win and we split the money, then hopefully the new apartment that you've wanted is closer to my farm than where you live now. Perhaps my folks could also move closer to you unless Albertha needs that to keep the food business open that I hope to start with her." Scott replies.

No objections to that! It makes me smile and smooch him on the lips in response. I tell the ginger "Good thinking. I'd love to move closer to there. Commuting and meeting each other's families would then be easier. You've also made this a better place for me. I now need the toilet, so see you later." before walking over to the communal bathroom.

Once I finish relieving myself within five minutes, I feel like I owe Mr. Multiple Personalities something more than what I gave him earlier. He's had a rather rough day despite claiming another victory. Mal shouldn't have had to fuck things up for him like this. I walk over to the hotel and knock on its door, asking "Mike, do you have a moment?"

About thirty seconds later, he opens it and steps outside to greet me with "Hello Courtney. I'm free to talk now."

His eyes still look a little red. Did he cry more while inside? Regardless, I tell him "Look, I feel really bad seeing your predicament. Not only has some monster had on-and-off control of your body, but also being separated from a loved one is never easy. Feel free to mention anything that would help. You shouldn't have had to suffer like that with Mal taking over. Zoey deserves major loyalty points for sticking by your side after all that's happened, and I know you've been a caring guy with a big heart who's wanted the best for her even before you became a couple. You've been a great boyfriend to her. I watched the last season and know what happened then between the two of you. Both of you have played a commendable game this season and she'd want you to keep that up. Sure, I hope to win the money myself, but I'd like a fair game no matter what happens. Cameron and Sam also see how you can be a good pal and undoubtedly appreciate being friends with you. I know this won't be easy, but can you promise you'll at least try to keep your demon from surfacing too often? It would benefit everyone. Hopefully some professional help after the season ends will sort him out if he isn't already dealt with by then."

The multi-personality teen thanks me with "Much appreciated. Keeping Mal contained is far easier said than done, but yes; I'll do what I can to keep him at bay. Even Vito popping up is better than him on the loose. I was serious when I said you could take my shirt off to bring that guy out instead of having the evil one in control. In a single word, I feel conflicted about today. It's been a mental rollercoaster for me with so much stress. Things will surely get better without that demon around. As for what could help right now, I guess a hug would be nice."

We hug a bit and then release. His spirits seem to have lifted already. I add "Remember, you're the main man, not Mal. Do whatever it takes to beat him. If nothing else, do it for yourself and for your girlfriend. She's rooting for you."

"Of course. I really needed that. See you at the challenge tomorrow." He replies and then heads back into the hotel, shutting its door.

OK, that makes me feel better too. He won't just mope around all day tomorrow. That would probably drag the rest of us down. To kill some time, I take a walk around campus for about an hour, and then head back to the cabin to get my toiletries and pajamas. Time for bed soon. Once I reach the communal bathrooms, I see Lindsay is also brushing her teeth and has changed into her sleepwear. I go into one of the toilet stalls to get my pajamas on as she finishes that. Once that's done, I brush and floss my teeth before returning to the cabin. As we climb into different beds, I say "With the final four approaching tomorrow, Scott and I are hoping to defeat Mal and I thought maybe you'd like to join forces with us. I know that also means Mike goes home, and this is nothing personal against him, but it's ultimately for the best that his evil persona is away from campgrounds."

She responds with "Nice idea, but who's to say Chris will allow teams? It still is nice to get this far. This is my best season yet! I feel really bad for Mike with how much he's had to suffer."

"Me too. He doesn't deserve such agony." I add.

"Anyway, I'm really tired now and need rest. Thanks again for the apology earlier." The blond says as she goes to sleep.

I finish with "Of course. See you in the morning." and then try to get some shuteye of my own.

As I drift off, I realize I'll probably have to put in extra effort tomorrow to make sure Mal goes home. Sorry Mike, but we can't just let him run loose more than he already has. Sleep then takes over me within ten minutes.

 **The final four is approaching. Mike is still stressed, though does feel better after some much-needed consolation. Stay tuned to find out who goes next and who wins it all! If I don't have Chapter 17 (final four challenge) up before February 2019, then it's probably due to my offline schedule taking priority and/or having a hard time coming up with ideas for how the game plays out.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place), Gwen (7th place), Sam (6th place), Zoey (5th place)**

 **Remaining Players** **:**

 **Courtney, Lindsay, Mike, Scott**

 **Chapter posted: January 7, 2019.**


	17. Find the Treasure

**Prepare for big events! Sorry this took so much longer than my previous chapters. It sometimes was tricky coming up with new ideas plus my offline life often took precedence. Once more reviews get responses, see who does and doesn't make the finals.**

 **GlitchWarrior: There most definitely will be more to say for this chapter.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Sometimes being brief is for the best. Fun fact: last chapter was the very shortest of any that I've posted for this fic.**

 **SideshowJazz1: Mike has my sympathy for what happened within his head during canon. You did in fact accidentally mention "vote" for this challenge in your Chapter 15 review with "As for the next vote, it would be very hard to take out Mal". Not sure why, but nothing we can do about that now.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct** **: Yes, our multi-personality teen definitely needed the heart to heart chat our CIT had with him (hence Chapter 16's title). It helped ease his heartbreak over Zoey's elimination.**

 **That British Guy: I'm sure you'll say differently for this one.**

 **Sulina: She did make friends for sure, and not just Gwen or Scott.**

 **Scottnyefan: You seem to have misspelled your name :P. Anyway, our CIT did in fact go back in time and isn't imagining it. No passing out involved.**

 **ShadowJcreed: Better late than never! I also feel non-challenge chapters add some nice variety, which is why I did that with the last chapter. There is indeed going to be a double elimination here like in canon.**

 **Harmony735: Glad you enjoyed the friendships formed. Duncan would never come back as an intern after blowing up Chris' hotel, though, which I'm sure neither would ever want. If the delinquent did try to win back our CIT after all that's happened, then he would fail miserably as she hates his guts and is quite happily dating Scott.**

 **Resuming the story!**

Final four time. I'm entering uncharted territory now. If today's winner is Scott or me, then things should be just fine. The important thing is that Mal loses. Only once have I ever got this far before. That was season 2, where I got eliminated in a 2-1-1 vote. Coincidentally, this also happened to the ginger in season 4. Even if one of us gets 4th place again, it won't be under the same circumstances as today's scavenger hunt challenge is a race to collect items and bring them back in time, with the last one to bring something back (or arrive empty-handed) automatically getting the boot unless they really upset Chris like Gwen did by using bear shit to "restore" color after accidentally smudging some old portrait of his that she had to collect. It revolted him so much that he vomited over the thing and angrily disqualified her right then and there. I hope nobody ends up repeating that mistake.

As I get out of bed, I see Lindsay is still asleep. Not sure whether to wake her up just yet. I'll get dressed first either way. Taking my clothes with me, I go to the communal bathrooms to change into those, and then bring my pajamas back to the cabin. Chef comes by a few minutes later with a box of croissants for breakfast. Thank god for something decent! I take one and promptly begin eating it. Much better than most of the losers' breakfasts. Scott comes by shortly afterwards and takes another for himself. He takes one bite and then holds it up in the air, toasting "To making the final four." after he swallows.

I smile as I repeat "To making the final four!" before we clink our croissants like drinks and resume eating them.

My cabinmate comes outside shortly afterwards. She takes a croissant for herself and chomps into it. Her smile clearly shows a liking for these. I can't argue with that. Once we finish a couple minutes later, I go get my toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss and clean my teeth in the communal bathroom. Here's hoping for a victory today. It did feel nice talking heart to heart with Mike last night as well as Scott and Lindsay. The multi-personality teen really needed it, especially given how heartbreaking it was for him that Zoey got voted off yesterday. It's also a good thing he'll play fair when in control and at least try to keep his demon from taking over today. I of course will do the same. In case Mal shows up later, I grab the tape recorder labeled "Fight It" from my bag and put that into one of my pockets once I get back to the cabin.

Something just occurred to me about the last two elimination ceremonies: while Chris gave out marshmallows after announcing my elimination there in the original timeline (as well as Alejandro's for the final six back then), the host gave them out as he declared people safe here. Our final six ceremony this time around was obviously affected by the marshmallow raid where he took the only five not stolen to the ceremony and I'm sure didn't want to risk letting anybody take them when out of his sight and not in his hands. Same goes for last night even though McLean knew nobody stole them again. Chances are he also was too concerned about that to repeat his "I declare someone out before I give marshmallows" approach. At least our host knows it was Mal and not the real Mike who stole them and pinned it on Sam. The gamer was a threat to his plans when figuring him out, so I understand why the evil persona did this, but it still was uncalled for and shouldn't have happened.

With that demon being exposed yesterday thanks to camera footage of the marshmallow ravaging, I'll admit it feels nice that I can more freely talk about him without risking my safety. However, I obviously didn't want him to win immunity again. I still am quite glad I survived the challenge regardless. Being in the bottom two was nerve-wracking. I admit in my original run-through I also felt worried when in the bottom two with our busty blonde after we lost the first challenge (and was grateful then to have survived it when she did a horrid job driving the team carriage), but that was nothing compared to last night when I was anxious about potentially finishing in the same place as before. Speaking of Lindsay, I'll admit I didn't originally expect her to get this far even if she wasn't the first eliminated in this timeline.

Last time around in the final five, I openly admitted after being declared the night's loser that I wanted Scott to win even if he refused to forgive me and give our relationship another chance after my idiotic chart. The ginger just bitterly snapped that he didn't care how I felt and was going to win for himself, not for me or anyone else, and that I should just get in the toilet. This exchange ended up getting cut from the episode. I meant it when I wished victory for him, and that also applies here if I don't make the finale. Going to the finals together would kick ass, though I'm obviously not planning to exploit his love for me this time around to have him let me win. Good thing I never followed through on such plans last time around.

If I get to the finals, then I will not stoop to Sky's level in season 6 where she took advantage of Dave's attraction to her (which she reciprocated even if she wouldn't admit it right away) by kissing him to convince him to help her in the final two. While they both royally screwed up before that by doing things they really shouldn't have (i.e. Dave should've listened more without stupidly interrupting her "but" or overreacting, Sky should've been more straight forward sooner on her intentions instead of giving mixed signals or false hope), I'm disgusted by her doing that and willingly cheating on Keith to get flirty with the guy before his elimination. It's ultimately for the best that they never became a couple. She can go fuck herself. As I mentioned before, infidelity is a sore spot for me after I was once cheated on, also watching this in those finals made me feel guilty at the same time for planning to use Scott's affections to my advantage. Good thing her finale opponent Shawn never did anything of the sort towards his girlfriend Jasmine when helping him there, even if it wasn't all smooth sailing for them. They on the other hand are a couple I wish the best for and I'm glad they were able to make amends after a couple rough patches.

Now that I think about the sixth season, Pahkitew Island, it intrigues me that all the changes to All-Stars here won't really affect how that one goes as none of the contestants from the first five seasons are seen, heard of, or even spoken about. The closest things to mentioning any of us were during its opening episode where one girl strongly resembling Snow White—whose name was Ella—said "I was a huge fan of Total Drama World Tour" in the confessional, obviously because of its musical aspects given her love for singing, and when Chris told viewers about the Camp Wawanakwa island sinking during this season's finale. Speaking of the island sinking, it's a shame we must end that way with a winner pulling a sword from the stone first causing the island to lose stability. Too bad I can't think of anything to tell any Pahkitew contestants watching this season without being suspicious. Chris hasn't even announced future seasons yet. Anyway, time to focus on today.

In the upcoming scavenger hunt, each of us must collect a different thing based on a treasure chest that we choose. The options are a yeti, a golden Chris statuette, a portrait of Chris, or a diamond. If only I could remember which chest had which choice.

"Good morning final four! Gather around the dock pronto-runio! It's crunch time, and by that, I mean you're about to get crunched." McLean announces through his speakerphone, chuckling at the end.

We then head down. Out of concern, Lindsay asks Mike "Feel any better this morning?"

"I do, though still really miss Zoey and wish she was still here." he answers.

"Understandable. Remember she's still rooting for you. Keep your chin up." she assures the multi-personality teen, which makes him smile.

"If you lose today, then kiss your chances of even going to the finals goodbye. I have no doubt there would be a 3-1 vote against you to get rid of Mal." Scott says to Mr. Multiple Personalities, who replies with "I still could win, though. Any of us could at this point. Don't forget that. Even so, I'm not letting Mal get victory; I'm winning it for myself instead of him."

"Fair enough. Just keep him out of control as much as you can." I comment.

"You know I will, and thanks again for the consolation last night." Mike tells me.

I respond with "Of course."

Good thing the main man is in control now. Right about at this point in the original timeline, Mal disguised himself to convince Zoey he was her beloved and "back in the driver's seat" ever since that boat race at the merge. What gave him away (at least to her) when she had doubts was saying "I'm the same Mike who gave you that bracelet last year", though hid this at first and replied "Yeah, I wasn't sure who you were sometimes, but now I know" in a way that could fit both scenarios.

She was shown to be quite angry in the confessional over that demon's tricks, telling its camera "Mike gave me a necklace, Mal, not a bracelet you weasel!" When he regained control of himself and asked her the next episode "Hey, where's the necklace I gave you?" as that necklace was absent, Pigtails was filled with so much joy that she happily kissed him on the lips right then and there, knowing her boyfriend was truly himself again. I can't blame her for that. How he conquered the evil persona is beyond me, but I'm proud of him regardless for doing so. Maybe he can defeat him here today when the demon doesn't have as much control.

Our host shows up not long afterwards in a boat and dressed as a pirate, greeting us with "Ahoy mateys! Argh. Come to me, faithful bird." as he hops onto the docks.

Chef then walks out in a parrot costume. I can't help chuckling at how ridiculous he looks, and neither can Lindsay. The guys smirk but aren't vocal about it. Hatchet snaps "Stop giggling!"

McLean assures the cook "Oh, come on; stop frowning. You look great and you know it! Hey, if you don't want to be here, then-" and pauses mid-sentence to see Chef driving the boat away, continuing with "That isn't what I was gonna say!"

This doesn't stop the cook from leaving. The blonde adds "Too late to stop him now."

Our host sighs as he walks towards us and comments "Sorry. It-it's just life is so hard without my cottage and staying in Chef's place only because he refused to have me live in the spa hotel when the teams hadn't merged yet. It sucks! Too bad that got blown up, and since I'm craving the comforts of home, I've come up with a special challenge. Your mission: to retrieve one of four valuable pieces of pirate loot stashed somewhere on the island."

Nice to know he didn't sneak into the hotels this time around. That would've been bad.

"Pfft. As if there's anything valuable around here." my boyfriend scoffs, but then blushes a bit as he glances towards me and adds "That is, other than myself and a certain lady standing next to me."

Since I of course am that "certain lady" he's referring to, I remark "Why thank you." with a smile.

"Oh, there's plenty if you know what you're looking for, and today it won't be companionship." McLean insists as he holds up one of his hands like a hook.

"Then what?" our busty blonde inquires.

"To determine who searches for what, each player will choose one of these four treasure chests. Argh, her-her! Mike, as the winner of the last challenge, you get to go first." Chris instructs.

Mr. Multiple Personalities then walks up to select a treasure chest. He screams in pain as a turtle inside bites his hand, then shakes the thing off him. The turtle lands in the water nearby. Pretty sure it was Mal in control last time as he growled at the thing to scare it off then, which somehow prompted the creature to make noises like a seal when running off. Our host informs him "Mike, you must bring me long-lost original golden Chris statuette."

"Any clue where I might find it?" the multi-personality teen questions, only to get a response of "If I knew, it wouldn't be long-lost now, would it?"

I go up next. A boxing glove on a spring pops up and smacks me in the face! It's beyond me how that all fit inside the chest. I yelp upon getting hit. Good thing it didn't give me a nosebleed. As I get back up, McLean says "Perfect! Courtney, you must bring me the McLean diamond which can be found on or near the abandoned pirate ship, which just happens to be guarded by Fang."

"Yeah, real nice." I sarcastically spat.

Lindsay goes next, and she yells out with pain upon getting shocked. "Excellent! Lindsay, you must bring me the yeti, but not the one you befriended last season."

The blonde sighs in disappointment, adding "If only it was the same yeti."

"Since the last one goes to me by default, you may as well just open it already." says Scott, probably trying to avoid pain from opening a chest.

"Nice try, but the choice isn't official until you see for yourself." Chris insists.

The ginger sighs before replying with "Should've guessed you'd say something like that." and reluctantly opening it.

A large amount of pepper is released and gets sprayed into his face. He sneezes as a result.

"Scott, you must go to the crumbling, life-threateningly dangerous wreck of my former cottage and bring back an intact portrait of moi." McLean instructs.

"That was a mansion and you know it!" I bark out of irritation.

"The important thing is that's where a portrait must be found." The host responds, then notes "Helpful hint: think fast and work even faster, because two of you are going home today!", holding up two of his fingers as he finishes that sentence.

Every contestant (including me) gasps even though I already knew this was part of the challenge. They truly seemed shocked by it. A certain blonde asks him "You mean there won't be a vote tonight?"

"Yeah, no; whoever comes back last—or worse, empty-handed—goes directly to the flush of shame. Whoever brings back their loot first wins a guaranteed spot in the finale AND gets to select which of the remaining two walks the plank into the big John tonight. All clear? On your mark-" the host states before stopping midsentence and sighing, then pulling out an airhorn as he continues with "Oh just go!", blowing the horn shortly afterwards.

Everybody scrambles for their loot. Sorry Mike, but you won't win again if I can help it and must go home in order to get rid of Mal. I'd even take Lindsay winning at this point to keep that evil persona out of the finals. It still of course would be ideal for Scott or me to get first place today. Hold on a moment; did the demon even find that statuette last time around? I sadly don't remember everything when re-watching the episode.

What I do know either way is that Zoey won the challenge and reluctantly took Mal to the finals with her (fully knowing who was in control) only for a chance of bringing her boyfriend back, thus sending Scott home in third place after my goth pal got disqualified for grossing Chris out with color "restoring" on a smudged portrait. The ginger also probably didn't have much (if any) luck collecting that diamond. Another thing I do recall is how Mal pretended to help with Fang in exchange for going to the finals together only to trick him. Very underhanded of the evil persona. Sure, both Scott and I could also be underhanded with others, but those instances didn't involve mutant sharks.

In any case, I make my way towards the pirate ship. Hard to believe I'm taking on Fang. Will I have an easier time with this mutant than my boyfriend did? I'll find out soon enough. Now to find that ship. It isn't easy to find. Getting that diamond from Fang once I do find it will be even harder. I spend about ten minutes looking for that before Chris announces "And Scott's first to reach his pirate loot zone; my beloved cottage. Treat her gently, Scott. Gently!", sounding sad once he erroneously mentions the word "cottage".

How many times does he need to be told that building was a MANSION and not a cottage!? It frankly is fucking ridiculous! On another note, it's nice that the ginger is getting closer to finding a portrait. If I can't get first, then hopefully Scott does. He could however take a while to find something intact within that mess. If Mr. Multiple Personalities can't stay in control, then could his inner demon interfere with my boyfriend and/or me? I sure hope not. One thing I regardless am grateful for is that he has more control of himself this time around without taking a giant boulder to the head.

Five minutes later, I finally find that ship. Took long enough! McLean informs everyone "And Courtney approaches her target; the heat is on! I hope my loud voice isn't getting Fang's attention!"

He obviously meant to attract the shark with that. I mutter "You did that on purpose!" in irritation.

"They're called loudspeakers, Ms. CIT, deal with it!" the host dismissively replies, having somehow heard me.

What an asshole. The shark then comes out from a bathroom shortly afterwards and grins evilly at me. I gulp in fear. Wanting as little trouble as possible, I tell Fang "All I want is the diamond. If you could just hand that to me or show me where it is, then I'll simply take it with me and leave."

He shows more of his teeth, revealing the diamond is on one of those. Is this for real!? Trying to make things easier, I ask "Could you please take that off your tooth?"

Fang shakes his head no and growls. So much for that plan. Can't blame Scott for fearing this mutant. I back away and try not to take my eyes off him in case of a sneak attack. Are there any good supplies to get it off the tooth? The ginger last time around found some rope, and he or Mal somehow found a knife along with a bucket full of fish to attract the shark. Where either of them got those is beyond me. Perhaps that fish bucket could've helped, but the demon accidentally-on-purpose let Fang take it and get out unharmed. Better go find something quick. As irksome as the thought is, I just might have to kill the shark in self-defense with a knife if left with no other choice.

A few minutes later while I'm looking for supplies, our host tells us "Lindsay is zeroing in on the yeti, but bringing him back might be a bit harder, especially when it's not the one she somehow made friends with during her guest appearance last season."

Not good. Even if her victory means Mal goes home, that would throw a monkey wrench into my plans for going to the finals with Scott. Hard to say which of us she'd take to the finale with the evil persona getting flushed, though. A rope appears not long afterwards. About time! I then tie a knot. It needs to be quite strong for something big like Fang. Looking further in the ship, I find a knife. Better keep that with me for any traps I set or (as a last resort) killing the shark. Where did those fish come from, though? I go down towards the bottom of the boat and hear some splashing.

Looks like an answer has been found! What I need is a bucket to collect that fish and preferably some bait. I don't have the time or patience to catch them by hand right now. If no bait is available, then I'll probably just hope for the best by scooping fish up with some bucket. OK, an empty bucket is at the bottom, and a few fish are in it along with some water. Not nearly as much as my boyfriend used for his trap in the original timeline, but it just might work. Time to test this out.

I go upstairs to find Fang resting on the deck. How can I get the diamond when he's like that? Last time around, the ginger unsuccessfully tried to subdue him by lassoing his snout, incorrectly thinking a technique he used on pigs could also work here. Fang simply tugged on the rope and sent the teen crashing into the boat. Here's hoping I have better luck. I take the bucket of fish up with me, and he smells it right away. Fang looks at my bucket with his eyes wide open. Since it's too late for me to set up any traps now, I offer "Care to give me the diamond in exchange for fish?"

The shark simply shakes his head. At least I didn't go crashing through the boat. Hold on, there's something else I just remembered: he has a certain fixation on getting Scott ever since the ginger accidentally took one of his teeth in season 4. Fang gladly agreed to help Lightning in a challenge after the jock offered "I'll take you to Scott" if he stopped biting his ass. Now I resent that narcissist even more. There obviously is no way I'm using my boyfriend as human sacrifice, but could a lookalike or cutout of him help at all?

Heading back downstairs, I look for a marker and cardboard and bring my bucket back with me. Maybe I'll just use wood if no cardboard can be found. Next thing I know, I get smacked in the face by a fish! I yelp as it hits me. A guy feeling says Mal threw that. My suspicions are confirmed when I turn to one direction and see him reaching into the river. He then pulls out another fish.

"Throwing fish at people, really Mal!?" I question while putting my bucket down. "Bad choice when you've got a treasure of your own to find."

"No luck finding that thing yet, so I thought if I can't secure that right now, then it would be fun to interfere with others getting their treasures." the demon replies and then tosses the fish in his hand towards me as he chuckles evilly.

By pure luck, I happen to catch it in my own hands just in time. I retort "Two can play at that game!" and then chuck it back at him.

The demon quickly dodges it and mocks "As if you could hope to easily hit someone athletic like me. Remember I can also easily get you out of the game like when I talked the Hamsters into flushing Alejandro and then convinced people to vote for Sam when he got too smart for his own good. Then again, all of you already know too much."

Somewhat taken aback, I raise an eyebrow and remark "Kudos for getting Al out, though I was pretty sure that Russian gymnast Svetlana was the athletic persona."

"She was until I erased her and inherited her abilities. Though I didn't get anything useful from wiping out the old man and thankfully got none of his back problems, I also now have the exploring skills of that Australian Indiana Jones wannabe." He explains.

No wonder he was so fast yesterday when running. I get closer and taunt "Good luck fighting the tough guy!", yanking his shirt off once I approach him.

Vito then surfaces. He flexes his muscles and proclaims "Vito is in the house! A boat isn't my ideal location, though."

Having this guy around is of course far better. I drop the shirt and collect my bucket as I go to find something to make a cutout of a certain ginger. Looking around, I find a marker in some closet. Let's hope the ink hasn't run out. I draw a small line on the closet's wall. OK, it works well enough. Too bad I don't see any cardboard around. Better go look elsewhere for that.

While heading upstairs, I hear evil laughing. Not good! Time to go faster. Mal can be seen close behind me with fish in his hands. He throws one at me as I reach the deck. The fish ends up hitting Fang, who growls at him. It was at this moment that Mal knew he fucked up. Mr. Shark angrily chases the screaming demon around the deck. How am I supposed to get my diamond now, though? Hold on; the evil persona somehow has been cornered. As Fang smiles evilly at him and shows his teeth, Mal decides to punch him in the jaw. It knocks out the tooth carrying out my diamond, which I run to collect. That unfortunately flies off the deck and lands in the water before I can reach it.

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Fang is writhing in pain on the ground. I guess someone used Vito's strength to his advantage. Wait, does that mean Mal also erased that personality and inherited his abilities? I sure hope not. Next thing I know, a confused voice asks aloud "When did I end up on this deck, and why does Fang seem to be in so much pain?"

What a relief! This is one of those times I'm very glad Mike has surfaced. I inform him "A certain evil thing unfortunately took over again, and so did Vito for a bit. Mal also punched the shark's jaw after being cornered after somehow getting super strong."

"I should've guessed." he replies. "Mal has been fighting with him inside my head lately."

His hair then drops back down as an evil voice adds "That's a battle Vito is bound to lose."

Come on! Too soon for this. However, the main man quickly takes back control and says aloud "No Mal; you are NOT winning again!" right before ripping his shirt off.

Vito resurfaces, stating "It sucks to have that evil guy around."

I nod in agreement. Next thing I know, the multi-personality teen is hitting himself. Is this part of the fight between three personas? It either way reminds me of how last season Mike fought Vito (along with presumably Chester, Manitoba, and Svetlana) to be in charge. Seeing that was quite a sight. The main man somehow took control despite his lack of a shirt. What an ordeal it was for him! This time around, I witness mixtures of grunts and other various sounds coming from Mal, Mike, and Vito before the demon seems to claim victory, laughing evilly once the self-brawl stops. Fang just stares in confusion and shrugs his shoulders before walking away, apparently satisfied with Mr. Multiple Personalities beating himself up in a way.

Hold on, one of the tapes Zoey recorded is still with me! I pull that out and play its message. The recorder goes "Mike, if you're listening to this and I'm no longer competing while you still are, then I urge you to beat what's been plaguing you. Do it for me. Fight your problem. Win the competition for us! I know the real you can still be found in there somewhere. Prove me right. Love always, Zoey."

"Too bad Michael can't hear-" Mal goes before getting cut off with a big gasp of air.

Right after that, a contradictory "Actually, I DID hear it; the whole thing!" comes from the main man, who then stops to catch his breath for a moment before telling me "Good thing that recording was available. It really helped. If there's anybody other than myself that I'll duke it out with Mal for, then it's Zoey Fulton, whether she's present or not."

"I'm proud of you for that, and she would be too." I reply while putting the recorder away in my pocket.

This happy moment unfortunately is a brief one since Mal subsequently takes back over and remarks "Somebody's quite dedicated. Love can really motivate a guy, but Mike underestimates me."

Chris then unexpectedly announces "While Mike has had no luck finding his treasure as he fights with Mal, Courtney's diamond has gone overseas, Lindsay can't quite seem to get ahold of the yeti, and Scott needs to stop tearing my portraits as he pulls them out from wreckage, even if those were accidents and a couple were caused by traps that Mal set! Hard to say who'll win at this point."

At least I'm not the only one struggling to accomplish my goal. Too bad my boyfriend had to fall for traps as he searched for an intact portrait. No shock that the demon would try to interfere with multiple contestants here like last time around. Mr. Evil then grins, stating "Nice to know the sucker took some bait." and then chuckling.

Glaring at him, I say "It frankly doesn't surprise me that you would set up such a thing."

"Don't think I'm predictable, CIT. The truth is-" he says only to get cut off by his own fist hitting him in the face and Vito interjecting with "Time for you to go away!"

Good thing the other remaining alt is fighting back. However, the evil persona then retorts "Don't make me erase you too, New Jersey trash!"

Mike then surfaces with "Your overconfidence in yourself will hurt you in the end!" as he and the other personalities get into another brawl.

I step backwards to avoid getting hit as he goes at it. The multi-personality teen's self-fight takes itself into a closet. It's filled with grunts and other noises of pain. Poor guy for having to resort to this. After a couple minutes, I hear a groan and a collapse. Did he pass out from the battle? Better go check on him. Looking into the closet, I see him lying silently and motionless on the ground with his eyes closed. I ask "Mike, can you hear me?" out of concern.

The multi-personality teen gives no response. I drag his body out from the closet. Talk about a bad sign. Shaking him into consciousness, I urge "Please wake up. Show me you're still in there."

Mr. Multiple Personalities groans a bit in pain and opens his eyes. After waking up, he tells me "That was one brutal fight from within. From now on, I'm all Mike, all the time."

My eyes open a bit in shock. If this means what I think it does, then it'll be quite welcome. I ask him "Does that mean Mal is gone?"

"It does. We'll never see or hear from him again. This time I know for absolute certain." He affirms with a smile. "As crazy as this might sound, when Mal was erasing Vito, I picked up on how he can wipe out personalities and used that on him while his back was turned. That process sadly isn't something I can put into words and it could only be done from the inside anyway. I still miss my other personas, even Vito the douche, and wish the others didn't have to go out the way they did. To get rid of the evil one, I did have to exert lots of energy and was already feeling weary from the physical fight, so I passed out for a bit afterwards."

"You sir are a hero for getting rid of the demon; great work!" I congratulate him. "Thank god he's gone. Sorry you had to first lose your internal friends. Crazy or not, I believe you."

"Thanks, and 'internal friends' seems like a fair description." Mike replies as he stands back up. "While I still have no idea where to find my treasure, I'm very grateful for all you did to help me out, and best of luck finding your diamond."

"Of course, and same wishes to you." I respond, and we shake hands before parting.

FUCK YES! It's quite a relief to have the real Mike fully in control and Mal gone. I do however truly feel sorry for his other personas. They didn't deserve to just get erased so viciously. Now I need to focus on somehow getting that diamond.

"This just in: After Vito got wiped out, Mike somehow learned how to erase Mal completely and has gotten rid of him! He seriously deserves major props for taking out that sleazy bastard. Well done, Mike! On another note, Lindsay has secured the yeti and thus is the first to find her loot, though is struggling to take it back with her. Will she be the first one back to the dock? It's still anybody's game. Everyone else should hurry up!" Our host then tells everybody through his speakerphones.

Uh-oh! That means time is running out. Walking downstairs, I sit down for a moment to think of ways I could get my treasure. I then see Fang popping out from the water carrying his missing tooth. The diamond can still be seen on it! He growls at me as I reach for that. Feeling bold, I snatch it from his hand and take off the diamond before handing back the tooth. I assure the shark "The only thing I want is this diamond. Seriously, you can keep all of your teeth!"

This unfortunately doesn't seem to help. He gives me a death glare. Even taking a tooth temporarily is enough to get on his bad side? Goes to further prove that one should never make enemies with a shark. I run as fast as I can back to base while Fang chases me and Chris informs everyone "Courtney has found the diamond again, and Fang is on her tail as she tries to get back to me! I guess he has a new enemy now. Can she make it back in one piece? Either way, the guys really need to find their treasures quick to avoid the big flush."

Time to find out. I sprint away from the boat and Fang. He isn't letting up. Only one thing could possibly slow him down now without giving up the diamond or getting chomped on; the recorder. That thing already served its purpose anyway, so I chuck it at the shark. It unsurprisingly gets destroyed upon impact. This makes him pause for a bit. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long, and he resumes chasing me after several seconds. If anything, that just made him angrier.

I don't dare stop. The important thing is either Scott or me getting back before anybody else does. Next thing I now, Chris says "The shark chase still continues as the yeti also gets closer. Against all odds, Mike somehow found his lost treasure at the bottom of the lake. Scott finally got a portrait out from the wreckage in one piece shortly afterwards! I didn't think anybody would look there. Now it's just a race to reach me first!"

The race truly is on. Fang seems to be slowing down, but still isn't giving up his chase. McLean can be seen in the distance after several minutes. I'm in the home stretch now! Even though my legs feel a bit sore from so much running, I keep going to secure victory and avoid becoming shark food. By this point, I can vaguely see a yeti with Lindsay. Not letting her win!

It takes a few more minutes, but I arrive in one piece with the diamond. "Kudos for getting that. Courtney wins!" Chris announces.

"Here I come, finale!" I joyfully proclaim as Lindsay shows up with her yeti.

"Second place is still better than last." she says.

"Quite true. Whichever guy shows up last is now automatically out of the game." McLean agrees.

Fang then catches up to me with an evil smile. The yeti growls at him and swiftly punches that shark away into the lake. That went better than expected. Maybe the blonde also managed to somehow befriend this furball. Either way, I'm stoked to be a finalist this season! Now hopefully Scott will show up next. Fingers crossed.

"How far away are they?" the yeti collector wonders aloud, with Chris and I shrugging our shoulders in response.

A couple minutes later, we see a soaking wet 17-year-old holding a gilded Chris making his way over and a filthy portrait-carrying ginger close by. Chances are that filth came from traps and/or the mansion remains collapsing on him. It regardless is a very close race between the two. Our host tells them "Gentlemen, whoever doesn't want to end up in the toilet better hurry it up!"

"We already know that!" both reply at the same time as they start running a bit faster.

The two come closer and closer. Both repeatedly shove their ways in front of one another. I do feel rather nervous. After a couple more minutes, the last one to reach us is…

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Mike!

He ended up tripping on his way over, allowing Scott to reach the host first. We all know what that means. I take a big sigh of relief.

"Scott secures third place for the challenge! Mike, I'm afraid this means you get the flush tonight for arriving last." the host announces.

"Hell yeah!" my boyfriend cheers while the newly-disqualified contestant sighs dejectedly and complains "Dammit; I was so close!"

I tell Mike "It was a respectable effort. I'll give you that. Also, making the final four at all still is an honor."

"Quite true." Lindsay agrees.

"Thanks. At least I found my treasure." he replies, presenting the gilded Chris to its namesake.

"I'll gladly take that." McLean adds as he grabs it from him. "May as well take your chance to dry off and get a new shirt on so you don't end up as wet or cold after going into the toilet."

The newly eliminated contestant gets up, shrugs his shoulders, and heads off to presumably do just that. Chris doesn't tend to be this considerate towards contestants. He knows the former multi-personality teen has been through quite a lot lately, though, so I guess the advice was out of his rare sympathy. In any case, I go into the hotel. How I missed this place! It's great to be back after so many losses.

Heading for the kitchen, I grab one of the sodas in the refrigerator and quickly guzzle that down. Very cold and refreshing. I look forward to having a dinner tonight that isn't burnt. There's an opened chocolate bar nearby. Grabbing it and sitting at the table, I take a bite and cherish the delightful taste. This was well needed. The doorbell can then be heard ringing as I'm about halfway through the bar. A still-filthy Scott is seen standing at the front door. He greets me with "Hi Court. Just wanted to say congrats on winning the challenge today. By the way, is there any chance you could sneak me some food from in there? I'm hungry and probably won't get the chance to eat until tonight."

With a smile on my face, I gratefully reply "Thank you Scott. If you must eat something, then take the rest of this chocolate I found. It's perfectly fine and chances are Chris would bust me for trying to give you much else right now. Try not to get caught with it, and please take the chance to clean yourself off soon. See you at the flushing tonight." and hand him my chocolate bar.

My boyfriend grins as he eats the bar and then walks away. I go back into the hotel. Having him spend the night here with me would make things even better, but Chris won't let that happen. Oh well. Maybe I could later bring some dinner out to him. Even if the ginger doesn't mind eating the subpar meals we've had so far, he deserves better than that. In the meantime, I go explore the basement just to see what it has. Looking downstairs, I see an old arcade game system. Is Chris secretly a gamer? Either way, the game system is unplugged, so I plug that into a wall to at least see what's playable on it. It turns out the system has _Donkey Kong_ , _Pac-Man_ , _Dig Dug_ , and _Space Invaders_. Can't remember the last time I saw a retro compilation like this.

Just for the hell of it, I decide to play some of each to pass the time. This also will probably be my only opportunity to do so. While not nearly as avid about gaming as Sam is (and the machine in front of me is of course quite different from the console used to frame him with marshmallow ravaging), I do enjoy what the thing offers. Good thing no coins are required here since I have none on me. After gaming for a few hours (and sometimes getting really frustrated with those last ships in _Space Invaders_ ), I go back upstairs to check out other parts of the hotel.

The sun has already set by now and it's dark outside when I look out a window. Making my way to the camera room, I look through its DVD collection and try to locate "Mal's Greatest Hits", aka the incriminating disc Al collected last time around that Sam and Zoey couldn't seem to find in this timeline when in the hotel. I'm curious to see how the evil persona having less control affected the footage. Someone rings the doorbell before I can spot it. Oh well. Chris can be heard yelling "Everybody is required to attend the upcoming flush, so come outside ASAP!" from outside.

No point in making the host repeat himself or get mad at me now, so I head for the front door and meet him there. I notice that Scott has thankfully gotten clean since we last spoke. Lindsay can be seen giving Mike a comforting hug. She tells him "Mike, thanks for getting rid of Mal, even if Vito couldn't survive. We're quite proud of you for what you did today. All of us are. Sam and Zoey will be too or already are if they watched today's episode. While you may have come in last for the challenge, you also in a way had a big victory by wiping out the evil. Hope your head is OK."

Hearing how insightful she was right there is shocking and made my jaw drop a bit. I must tip my hat to her. The blonde orchestrated Duncan's elimination around and did take part in sending Mr. Burromuerto home this season. Sure, she still had airheaded moments mixed in since I started reliving All-Stars, but there's no question I've underestimated her potential and I never would've initially guessed she could get this far in the contest.

He smiles and thanks her with "I do appreciate that, Lindsay. It fortunately feels much better without him lurking around. However, fully getting used to how I'm the only persona now will probably take some time." as they release from the hug.

"I'm also glad he's gone. Good job on that. Our pal Sam didn't deserve to get targeted by that weasel." Scott congratulates while they share a fist bump.

"Me too, and he definitely didn't deserve to be framed." the flushee agrees.

Walking up closer, I add "Nice to compete with one another this season. Do take care, and hopefully the toilet doesn't take you anywhere bad." and extend one hand forward.

The two of us shake hands as he replies "It was good to be back. All I can say for sure is that the ride out will be filthy."

We both chuckle a bit and release from the handshake.

"Enough postponing; it's time for the departure!" Chris impatiently butts in and drags him to the giant porcelain.

The rest of us follow. Mike is placed in the toilet and tells us "So long everyone. While it sucks that I couldn't go further like Zoey and I both wanted, at least I now can be with her again."

"She'll still love how you went out a hero following today's events. Don't forget that!" Lindsay remarks.

"Fair point there." my boyfriend admits.

"It is." the former multi-personality teen agrees. "I'm sure to hear more on that later."

"Farewell Mike, and do you still plan on seeing a psychiatrist like you mentioned yesterday?" I question.

"Yes, I do." he affirms. "Even with all my alternate personalities gone for good, Mal still did lots of damage that needs to be sorted out. I'll need professional help for that."

"If everybody's done saying their goodbyes, then I'm going to flush." our host informs us as he presses the button.

Mike screams as he gets flushed.

"Who to flush next?" Chris then asks me. "It all comes down to who you want to battle in the finale: Scott or Lindsay?"

"I'm taking Scott to the finals with me. No offense to Lindsay, but it was an easy choice for obvious reasons." I answer, which unsurprisingly makes the former smile and the latter frown upon realizing she's now eliminated.

"None taken, and I fully expected this to become a couple's finale once Mike came in last earlier today. Getting third place out of fourteen is still an accomplishment." says the blonde, who then shakes hands with Scott and I while adding "Best of luck to you both in the finale".

She then heads over to the toilet. Chris inquires "You took that quite well. Do you have any last words?" after shoving her into it.

"Only this: As much as I wish I could've won it all, I'm really glad I made the top three and had my best season yet! Goodbye everyone." Lindsay tells us, and then screams while getting flushed away.

McLean subsequently turns to the camera and signs off the episode with "We have our finalists. Who will rule victorious in the toughest, roughest, million-dollar challenge ever? Tune in to find out next time on the season finale of Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

I'm sure you predicted my choice on who to take to the finals well before I announced it. Lindsay did and thankfully was quite understanding. No way am I kicking my boyfriend off when given any other choice! He and I walk off the docks with Chris. Once we're alone, the ginger excitedly tells me "I can't believe we're really going to the finale together! It totally kicks ass! Thanks again for the quick choice to keep me in the game."

In response, I tell him "Of course. I couldn't just cut you from the contest like that after all that's happened between us since you met me." and then we briefly exchange a loving kiss.

"If I can't sleep in the hotel tonight, then could you maybe stop by the cabin after dinner?" he asks.

I answer "Not a problem. Chris never said I couldn't visit there when I won today. I just probably couldn't bring you any meals from there. See you then."

The two of us part as he goes to the cabin and I make my way towards the hotel. Once inside, I go to one of the bedrooms and see my belongings already there. Thank you interns for bringing them here. I take out my law book and read that for about half an hour before I start smelling something from the kitchen. Smells good and I'm hungry anyway, so I go down to get whatever that is.

When I arrive, a piping hot steak can be found on a plate. No burn marks or anything! I promptly cut into it and begin eating. This is one damn good steak. It takes me about five minutes to eat the whole thing. Looking into the refrigerator, I grab a couple more sodas and take them with me to visit the ginger. They're still nice and cold. He has a big smile on his face when I arrive and hand him one. Scott drinks some and ponders aloud "What are the odds that we'd make the final two?"

"Beats me, but I'm glad we got there together." I reply, and then take a sip before telling him "Promise me tomorrow will be a fair game, though, and don't let our personal relationship get in the way of the challenge or vice versa."

I smile when he assures me "You have my word that it will be."

OK that's good. My past self might have wanted him to throw the finals for me in the original timeline, but I don't want that now. I'm not that selfish anymore and he deserves better anyway. Besides, we'll both leave with half a million no matter what when we agreed to split the money if either of us won and now that's a guarantee when we're the finalists.

After finishing our sodas, he seems to smirk a bit. I inquire "Why the smirk?" out of curiosity.

He flirtatiously answers with "Since it's just the two of us remaining now, I was just thinking about how we have more privacy. We could do certain things that no contestants would catch onto. I'm not talking anything R-rated because that would probably get us in trouble, but this does open some doors."

This intrigues me. At least he knows anything sexual is out of the question while on this show. Even if what follows gets his dick hard and/or my pussy wet, we are staying fully clothed tonight. I can't help grinning at what he might have in mind and teasingly tell him "Look me in the eyes when you tell me more, not at my boobs." as I notice his eyeballs are facing my chest.

"Sorry, but if you don't mind me saying, they're very nice to look at." Scott apologizes while somewhat blushing in embarrassment and confesses "To be honest, you also have a lovely ass which is well worth staring at."

"Relax; your gazes flatter me, and I was just messing around." I assure him with a giggle. "It's quite common for teenage males like yourself to stare at females in those ways, particularly when romantically and/or sexually attracted to them. Many girls stare at guys as well. Just don't let the wrong person catch you doing it at the wrong time. When we're already a couple, staring at one another isn't really a problem."

The ginger now seems calmer. Perhaps it's best for me not to mention I noticed him starting at my ass when the season began, and we were swimming to shore. He'd probably get even more embarrassed. Either way, the ginger gestures for me to follow him. We go towards the woods. Roughly ten minutes later, my boyfriend tells me "About those doors that are opened." and pulls me closer.

My excitement grows. I flirt back by urging "Do go on." with a wink.

"Something like this." He says right before crashing his lips onto mine.

Making out in the woods? No problem with that if our clothes stay on! We continue the kiss, and he slips in a bit of his tongue. French kissing is quite bold of him at this point in our relationship. Did Sam advise him to do that? I let some of my own tongue in to make clear I'm fine with it. He stops for a moment to catch his breath and asks "Wait, was that too much?"

"It admittedly took me by surprise, but no; you didn't go over the top." I answer. "Never thought you'd French kiss so soon. Very bold move of you. I'm not complaining, just didn't see it coming."

"OK good because I loved doing that and hope it can continue." Scott tells me.

"Most definitely." I affirm with a smile. "Just keep all your clothes on and don't pull any of mine off tonight no matter how tempting it gets to take them off. Too soon for undressing."

"Fair enough." he states, and then we resume French kissing.

I must admit he's pretty good at this, especially for a first-timer since it's hard to get much skill without experience. My heart starts beating faster than normal with how excited I feel. Since our chests are kind of pressed together, I can also somewhat feel his heartbeat in his chest. That is no normal heart rate. It's his adrenaline running. My hands caress his back side, and he does the same to mine. After several more minutes, we both pause to breathe.

"You sir are a natural!" I compliment with my heart pounding. "Good job on the self-restraint as well."

"Thanks. It's probably best we stopped here for now, or temptation could get the better of me and I'd cross a line that I shouldn't." he says.

"You're welcome, and at least you know your limits." I tell him. "Sorry to end things here for the night, but chances are Chris will get suspicious unless we go back to campus soon. Good luck for tomorrow."

"Same wishes to you." the ginger tells me.

It takes us about ten minutes to get back to the cabin. He heads back inside, and then I return to the hotel. That make-out was very nice! Since tomorrow is bound to be a big day, I probably should get some rest, but first need to clean off. I grab my pajamas and toiletries as I go to the bathroom and take a leisurely shower for about half an hour. That was well-needed after having to use subpar communal showers for so long. I then put my pajamas on and clean my teeth before heading for bed. The finale has almost arrived. As I climb into bed and drift to sleep, I hope to win it all. We'll see how that goes.

 **The big bad Mal is no more! Scott and Courtney got to make out! I'll probably have the finale up sometime in March 2019, but no promises.**

 **Reason for eliminations: Mike couldn't possibly hope to survive without another victory given the Mal problem, even with the evil persona wiped out. Furthermore, it was only logical he gets last place in the challenge when he ends up choosing the hardest item to locate. Lindsay was an obvious boot after that because there's no way our time-traveler would pass up the chance to take her boyfriend to the finals with her when possible. Not at all easy for me to go through on as Lindsay and Mike are among my favorite Total Drama characters, but it had to be done. Sorry to anybody who hoped our busty blonde would go to the finale. I just couldn't think of a way for her to realistically make it there.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place), Gwen (7th place), Sam (6th place), Zoey (5th place), Mike (4th place), Lindsay (3rd place)**

 **Finalists** **:**

 **Courtney and Scott**

 **Chapter posted: February 21, 2019.**


	18. Risky Climbing

**Time for our finalists to duke it out against one another! Hopefully this was worth waiting for. Let's first reply to more reviews, though.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Lindsay should definitely be proud of getting third place, though season one would beg to differ on the blonde being "a graceful loser" when lashing out against Heather upon realizing she'd been duped :P.**

 **SideshowJazz1: Not gonna lie, I knew it was predictable for Lindsay to go home as soon as Mike was eliminated when Scott is romantically involved with Courtney. She most certainly was overdue for a ranking higher than 6th from TDA (her canon peak). While I love the idea of her winning it all, there's no way our busty blonde could realistically beat the CIT or the ginger in this season's finals. As someone who enjoys both Lindsay and Harold much more than Beth or Duncan, I admittedly would've preferred a Harold vs. Lindsay finale over Duncan going against Beth in the final 2, and am pretty sure it's what would've happened if the blonde didn't accidentally vote herself off in "Rock n' Rule". Feel free to PM me for details on my theory for what most likely would've happened with her still in the game. Mr. McGrady indeed was more deserving than the delinquent.**

 **That British Guy: To be fair, lots of weird things happened involving both within this fic.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct: Sorry for the heartbreak, though I do agree it's very nice to have Lindsay outrank Heather by 7 placements. The blonde did handle her loss maturely and knew it was inevitable with our (formerly) multi-personality teen getting eliminated earlier in the day.**

 **GlitchWarrior: Nice to know you enjoyed the final four, and you'll find out soon enough who gets shot out from the sky. I'm not spoiling that here. It was natural to have Mal defeated earlier than in the original timeline when he doesn't have as much control this time around (thanks to the boulder hit being averted and a shovel being used in place when Mike tried to "reset" his other personas).**

 **Harmony735: Thank you very much!**

 **TheNoobyBoy: Glad you enjoyed Lindsay in this fic. She deserved much better than what canon TDAS gave her, so I took it into my own hands to ensure the blonde was served justice. As for Mike, it was hard not to have him get last place when his item was the hardest to locate, and hopefully I gave a better end for Mal and his other personalities than the actual All-Stars season did.**

 **Critica7: This fic admittedly isn't for everyone, though I'm glad you overall still enjoy it. I can understand calling Heather's choice to hide the idol among rocks stupid, but what stupid choice did Alejandro make (aside from arguably getting rid of her pre-merge)? Even if Mal wasn't the most proactive villain, let's not downplay what he did in canon (i.e. tampered with votes at the merge, orchestrated Al and Courtney's eliminations, played mind games with everybody by impersonating Mike, broke some things, duped Scott with the Fang trap and Gwen with the painting collection) or here (i.e. ensure Mr. Burromuerto and Sam went home when he wanted them to, interfere with each of his opponents collecting treasure in the final 4, tricked others into thinking he was Mike so they wouldn't catch onto his plans so easily if at all). Another thought to consider is him doing things off-camera that none of the contestants saw. Let's give him some credit. To be fair, he couldn't do as much as in canon during this fic when he had less control given the difference of shovel vs. boulder hit.**

 **SCOOTNEY fan: I presume you meant to spell your name as "SCOTTNEY fan" :P. Focusing more on your point, Lindsay definitely had another one of her smart moments.**

 **CreepCatDog: If possible, I'd prefer for you to post your future reviews in English. Now (presuming I translated correctly), the next chapter is finally here!**

 **On with the finale!**

It has finally arrived at long last. The day where Scott Gordon goes with me, Courtney Gomez, to the finals in Total Drama All-Stars. I can still hardly believe this is happening against all odds! Chances are he feels about as excited as me (which is saying quite a lot). One benefit of waking up in the hotel this morning is that I'm guaranteed a quality breakfast no matter what happens later in the day. Speaking of breakfast, something smells good in the kitchen and my stomach has started rumbling. That of course needs to be addressed promptly.

Heading to the kitchen, I find some steaming hot French toast covered in syrup and sitting on a plate. No objections to that! I happily eat all of that and it tastes delightful. If only my boyfriend could enjoy it with me. Oh well. After breakfast is finished, I drink some of the coffee nearby before going to clean my teeth and get dressed. Not long afterwards, I see a few interns packing up my belongings. This was probably inevitable with the finale approaching even if nobody could know the island would sink today. I at least hope Mike and Zoey didn't lose their things when it collapsed in the original timeline. Either way, all of mine was shipped back to my house by the time I returned home when first living through the season, which I'm quite grateful for.

Before the finale begins, I'd like to make one last confessional, so I head for the outhouse and look right at its camera once inside. I tell it "Becoming a finalist at long last really feels great, especially since Scott also made it all the way here with me! Here's hoping I win. However, if I don't, then him taking the crown is the next best thing. It's a good thing Scott and I splitting the money either way. Regarding the past few eliminations, as much as I knew voting off Zoey would help me have an easier time in the final 4, part of me also felt guilty seeing how much it broke Mike's heart when she got eliminated two nights ago. My choice was nothing personal against either of them; I purely voted for her as a strategic move when she's known to be a threat in this game, and he had immunity for the night. Having to find out that day how his evil Mal persona had returned was already distressing, and the flushing just made things worse for him. The guy has my sympathy. I'm also very proud of him for conquering his inner demon before getting the flush yesterday. Taking out Mal truly made him a hero and he left the game with honor. Here's hoping some psychiatry can help his mental health since Mike plans to get some of that once this season sends. As for Lindsay, I obviously wasn't going to send my boyfriend home when there was a chance to take him to the finale with me! Good thing she took that well and understood why it had to be done. The blonde also saw it coming well in advance. I must give her props for making the top 3 and becoming the highest-ranking member of the Hamsters team. Admittedly a far better placement than I would've initially guessed. With two Vultures left—Scott and me—we'll find out soon enough who gets its top spot."

Right as I exit the confessional, Chris announces through his megaphone "Good morning, finalists! Meet me in the forest clearing and get ready to diet! Sorry, typo: ready to die!"

Perfect timing on my part. I simply comply and meet up with the ginger on my way over. He smiles upon seeing me. The two of us hold hands as we walk. He eagerly tells me "It's really exciting both of us made it all the way to the final 2! Glad we could follow through on earlier plans."

"The feeling is mutual." I concur, adding "May the best player win."

"Deal." Scott affirms. "One good thing is that neither of us will leave empty-handed when we'll split the money no matter who wins."

"You've got a point there, now game on." I reply before we briefly peck each other on the lips.

We arrive at our destination several minutes later. Chef and the host are standing in front of a large booth with a closed curtain, and the latter greets us with "Congratulations on making it to the finale! It's something you'll regret for the rest of your lives, which will likely be rather short since this final challenge is so vicious, so brutal, so savage, that our lawyers said we had to change it."

"In other words, less dangerous." the ginger adds.

"No, but we told them we did!" Chris replies with a chuckle, and then turns to our cook and says "Hi-five!" with one hand in the air.

Hatchet doesn't return it, saying "People gonna die."

"Yeah, those people." McLean replies while pointing his thumb towards my finale opponent and me.

"You wish!" I retort.

The curtain opens as our host instructs "Combatants, choose your weapons! So, what'll it be? Meatball bazooka, bow and blood-tipped arrows, a leech gun, a slingshot, or-why is there an oven mitt?"

"There was an extra hook." Chef explains with some embarrassment as he runs over to collect that.

On a wall, I also see a stick, a spiked mannequin leg, Mr. Coconut, and a few other guns, one of which has an attached spear that's piercing through a fish. Scott takes the bazooka. I then opt for the bow-and-arrow. We then follow McLean to an area with twelve floating balloons. Hold on, twelve? That unfortunately means Duncan was brought back as a potential helper along with everyone else who got eliminated this season. Even if he's banned from competing ever again, I suppose it's only fair to bring back all the season 5 contestants who got cut from the contest. At least he won't win the million regardless. Here's hoping I don't end up with him, Heather, Alejandro, or Sierra as helpers. Those would all be bad choices for me.

"Now that you've got your weapons, you'll need them to pop these balloons. Each one contains a previously flushed All-Star." Chris informs us.

"Is there any way for them to breathe in there?" Scott inquires.

"I don't know. Ask our classic competitor Owen; he filled them." the host replies as he gestures towards said balloon filler, who is messy from eating lots of beans right out of their cans, and said cans are lying around him.

I know the answer is yes from when we got stuffed into them during the original timeline when it was Mike/Mal vs. Zoey in the finals, albeit just barely. This was the last time before the season ended where I unsuccessfully tried to make amends with Scott. He refused to even listen before we got placed into balloons. Maybe Gwen would've been more willing to hear me out after finding out I voted myself off to regain her trust, but we never got the chance to see each other that day as she had already been stuffed away before we could meet up. Oh well. Either way, it's a good thing the goth was on much better terms with me when leaving the game in this timeline.

Owen the obese food-eating machine had seen just about everything that had happened on camera at that point. He was apologetic towards everyone he had to place in the balloons except for Duncan (who he felt went too far with the mansion explosion and no longer wanted to be friends with), Heather (for being a general pain-in-the-ass), Alejandro (for all his scheming and shameless manipulation during the third season) and me (for that chart fiasco). I'm sure he's still mad at each of these three this time around. Either way, Owen was quite irked by how unusually affectionate Mr. and Mrs. Burromuerto had suddenly gotten with one another since becoming a couple, as were the rest of us and our host.

"Thanks Chris! These double deep-fried beans really do the trick." The fatso gratefully tells our host and lets out a chuckle before saying "Watch!" and farting enough air into a balloon to fully inflate it.

"How the fuck can you manage to do that?" asks a bewildered Scott.

"Maybe with lots of practice." I speculate. "Am I right, Owen?"

"Yeah, practice and being very gassy." the fatso confirms with a giggle.

As gross as it was to be inside one of those, filling up balloons like that admittedly is also an impressive ability. The balloon unfortunately gets overfilled and pops, sending lots of empty bean cans flying and knocks Owen onto his stomach. He painfully moans "Mommy" afterwards while lying down and then McLean tells us "You have 30 seconds. Any All-Star you shoot down becomes your helper. And GO!" right before blowing an air horn.

I'm not nearly as good as Katniss Everdeen when it comes to shooting arrows, but these were probably my best bet with the ginger picking that bazooka before I could grab it. May the odds be ever in my favor. Aiming high, I take a shot at one of the balloons and miss. That was quite unfortunate. My opponent also misses his first shot, so I guess that kind of evens things out for now. As I set another arrow up, he manages to free Sam, who screams as he plummets and falls on his face. My next arrow slips. Come on! Scott then pops the balloon with Lindsay, who yells a bit as she falls and lands on her ass, rubbing where it hurts.

"Scott picked up Sam and Lindsay!" Chris announces before mocking me with "Courtney, you might wanna start trying."

I growl at him and retort "We both know I AM already trying plus these balloons aren't exactly the easiest things to hit." as I set up another arrow.

It frees Lightning and he falls to the ground. Another one of my shots pops the balloon containing Jo. Not exactly ideal for me. Gwen would've been preferable even with broken arms. Good thing I can't get leeched by her again, though. The air horn can be heard again. Chris tells us "Time's up!" and instructs "Oh intern, go collect the helpers please." to one of his interns.

Said intern then takes a stick with a hook to grab them down, but a gust of wind blows all the remaining balloons far away. OH SHIT! Muffled screams can be heard from the others as the wind carries them off. How did I forget this would happen!? A scary memory then comes back where I was scared for my life as my balloon floated out of reach and I thought I could die wherever it took me! I practically had a heart attack. Thankfully nobody was harmed as another intern rescued us off-camera with some giant net. We all got safe travels home before the island collapsed. I feel especially bad for my goth pal even though I know she'll be saved.

"Ooooooh, yeah; probably should've tied them down." The host remarks in hindsight.

"Gee, you don't say." Sam sarcastically replies.

McLean's phone then rings. He picks that up and comments "Huh, it's the lawyers.", then puts said phone in his pockets and adds "I'm gonna let it go to voicemail."

"You shouldn't just let people die in those balloons!" Lindsay reprimands.

"Relax; an intern or two will save them as I can't truly let people die here or I'd probably get sued and go back to jail, now let's go." Chris responds.

"Sha-finally! Lightning didn't know how much more of that gas he could take." a certain jock proclaims.

"About time somebody got me out from there." my other helper gratefully says.

"Jo and Lightning, you will be helping out Courtney. Lindsay and Sam, you're on Team Scott, but you four are here as helpers only, meaning you can't win." the host tells them as they walk over to join us.

Lightning complains "Seriously? Sha-dang! Getting no money sucks."

"At least we all got saved, so we should be grateful to be free of the godawful smelly balloons." The gamer adds before giving Scott a fist-bump.

"I can't argue with that." Jo concurs with a shoulder shrug.

Thank god for no Alejandro and Heather making out in the confessional or getting disturbingly affectionate. Lindsay suggests "We may as well get this over with."

An intern then shows up with a car containing three seated attachments. I climb into the front one with Scott while Lindsay and Sam get into the middle one and Jo and Lightning gather in the back piece. Chris gets into the car with the intern, who drives us to the challenge. As we approach our destination five about minutes later, McLean says "Scott, Courtney, this season I decided to come up with something REALLY danger-" and abruptly cuts himself off to say "er, I mean special. Yeah, special for the both of you. Say hello to the final challenge of Total Drama All-Stars: The Moats of Doom!"

Thunder can then be heard and actual lightning flashes in the sky as the host chuckles. The rest of us except the driving intern gasp in shock. Sure, I knew it would be dangerous, but seeing the thing in person as opposed to on screen when re-watching the season is scarier when I don't know for certain what'll happen to me!

"Each level has a sliver of safe-ish ground, where you'll find tools to help you survive the insane dangers that await you in each moat. The first moat, at ground level, is filled with toxic waste. You might want to avoid falling in unless you want to go to the prom with Ezekiel." Chris continues as a fly gets submerged in the waste and emerges as a giant mutant before flying off. "Moat number two is boiling hot lava!"

Said giant mutant fly burns its ass on said lava and screams while flying away from it.

"The third moat is just plain old swamp water." McLean informs us as the giant fly lowers its ass into the water.

The fly lets out a sigh of relief (which I only know from re-watching this episode as it's too far away for us to hear in person) before getting eaten by Fang as the host adds "But what lies beneath will definitely kill you!"

Us contestants all gasp again. Scott looks frozen with fear, much like he was when having to box Fang in the original timeline. Partially replicating that, I wave my hand in front of his face and call out "Say something if you can hear me."

"I. Hate. Sharks!" the ginger fearfully replies.

"Scott, Courtney, if you somehow survive all three moats, you must say goodbye to your helpers and go it alone as you storm the castle." Chris instructs as we climb out of the car attachments and he gestures towards the top of the hill. "Take your life in your hands as you fight your way past the Mad King!"

Said "king" is Chef at the top of the tower wearing a crown and cape. He unenthusiastically tells a camera "I am the Mad King." and unintelligibly grumbles something before pouring himself a drink and sipping from it (which is another thing I only know from watching the episode as it's inaudible to everyone around me right now).

"If you get past the Mad King and find the strength to pull the sword of victory from the stone, you are the true Total Drama All Star and a winner of One. Million. Dollars! Subject to all applicable taxes and other offsets required by law." the host informs us. "So, excited?"

"No; we could all easily die or at least get badly hurt!" Sam retorts.

"My lawyers are fully willing to sue you if I get harmed here, McLean." I add, and fully realize how much that sounds like something my old self would say, though it is fitting here when we're dealing with potential death.

"I'm pretty sure you're bluffing." The host replies as he pulls out a glass of milk and drinks it before I shake my head "no" and he turns towards the camera to say "Regardless, will anyone survive the final challenge? If yes, will our winner be a king or queen? Find out right after the break here on Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

I go over with my helpers to one side of the moat and Scott goes with his towards another. Game on now. Chris then instructs "On your mark, get set, go!" and blows an airhorn to start the challenge.

How the fuck can I climb this thing without getting hurt? Lightning finds a couple of poles and tells me "Lightning thinks we could use these to sha-vault across."

Jo retorts "You probably don't know how to calculate the angle needed to make it over unharmed, sha-idiot."

That reminds me; Mal did this to get across the waste! I should've remembered sooner after observing him do so when re-watching this episode multiple times. Meanwhile, I overhear Sam observe "It would much easier if you had a tanuki suit like the ones from the _Super Mario Bros. 3_ that help you fly across once you get a good running start."

Lindsay adds "Even with such suits around, we'd need three, not just one."

"Fair point." the gamer relents.

"Don't forget that fictional items are useless here." Scott reminds them. "Think of something real."

Getting back to my own predicament, I ask "How much of a running start would I need to get across by pole vaulting?"

"I'd guess from at least 10 meters away." Jo surmises.

"Just don't sha-drop it in the waste." Lightning adds as if that wasn't already obvious.

"No way will that happen." I assure him as I grab one of the poles.

Heading back 15 meters for good measure, I then sprint forward with the pole held in front of me and shout out "To victory!"

Here's hoping my memory of Mal's vaulting serves me well here. I plant the pole in the ground and jump high into the air. I scream while flying across and land…

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On the ladder!

I take a big sigh of relief as I make my way up. However, my helpers do still need to get across, so they'll probably have to do the same thing as me. Scott seems to have picked up on my tactic as he runs towards the moat with a pole of his own. Chris tells the audience through his megaphone "Courtney has crossed the first moat, and Scott is catching up with the same method! While she is in the lead now, will that last?"

"Hopefully not for long." The ginger answers as he makes his way across.

Lightning then picks up the pole I used and proclaims aloud "Time for Lightning to strike!" as he goes back for a running start.

Uh-oh; I haven't cleared it yet! Jo cautions him "Wait until the ladder's open, stupid!", but is too late as he's already on his way.

I scream in fear and anxiously try to climb up to make some space. It turns out Mr. Dumbass miscalculated the angle his jump and ends up smacking into the wall. Quite a painful impact. At least he didn't hit me. The narcissist whines "Sha-ouch; that hurt!" as he collapses onto the little bit of ground that these ladders stand on.

"Consider yourself lucky that you didn't hit me on this ladder, or you'd probably end up in the toxic waste." I remark before continuing to climb as Scott successfully lands on his own ladder.

The ginger and I make our ways to the next moat. So far, so good. Crossing this lava without getting harmed will be tricky, though.

"Welcome to level 2! All tied, no one's died. Yawn. Let's go, people!" Chris tells us.

"What a sick fuck." My boyfriend remarks, and I nod in agreement.

Down below, our host can be heard telling someone on the phone "True, I should've known better. We just forgot to tie the balloons down." before sipping a drink, and then adds "Well, my optometrist tested that, and it turns out my hindsight is actually quite bad."

After some inaudible response from the caller, McLean goes "Oops!" and accidentally-on-purpose tosses his phone into toxic waste.

It just goes to further show how little he cares about contestant safety. I hope that schmuck rots in hell. Anyway, time to focus back on the challenge. Lindsay seems to doubt her ability to vault across given how she isn't going for the running start that Lightning, Scott, and I used. Jo on the other hand is going back with another pole to gain some momentum. Hold on, did Sam just run off!? I then hear him shout "Timber!" and see a large tree trunk falling over, with everyone on ground moving out of the way.

At its base is the gamer with a chainsaw, who then uses that tree as a bridge. The trunk is just long enough to bridge the first moat, so he and Lindsay make their way across that. Props to him for quick thinking, though I cannot fathom how he got that chainsaw without anybody noticing before it was used. If anybody left it just lying around, then that was a risky choice on their part. Chris chastises "First off, you should have adult supervision when using chainsaws, even if you are 17. Secondly, watch where trees land when you cut them down! You're lucky nobody got hurt, but don't you dare do that again on this show without my permission or Chef's. They belong to us and the interns you probably got it from."

"Sorry, but I knew I couldn't just vault across on my own, and no other feasible way for me to cross the moat came to mind." Sam apologizes as he and Lindsay use it to cross.

As for this second moat, I wish some of that tree could be used to go across it. There unfortunately is no feasible way to carry it up ladders without struggle. Speaking of ladders, I just remember now that Zoey laid one down across this lava moat to get across, though it quickly burned afterwards. Mal on the other hand used a pogo stick lying around to somehow get a big enough bounce to over the gap and up the ledge. Since I don't trust my pogo abilities enough to take me that far and the ladder is my only usable option, I tell Lightning "Be sure to take that up with you once Jo also reaches the top." as he climbs up.

"Not a sha-problem." he replies.

Once Lindsay and Sam reach the top of the ladder, they help Scott use it as a bridge and quickly make their way across, somehow picking up on the idea I had in mind before I even said it aloud. Jo has now used the tree trunk and bolts up the other ladder. Seeing our opponents in the lead and climbing up to the third moat, she scowls "No way am I letting a redneck pit-sniffer aided by some live action Barbie Doll and a teenage Seth Rogen with a gaming addiction stay ahead of me for long!" as the ginger's ladder burns from its proximity to the lava.

Belittling my boyfriend and his intellect like that pisses me off so much that I growl and slap her on the cheek before reprimanding "Don't you fucking DARE insult Scott like that again or I'll kick your ass! He's got far more brains than you've implied. Just help set a path for us to cross now so we can move forward."

My slap was so hard that an imprint of my hand can be seen on her face. Jo's eyes are wide open in shock. She probably didn't think I could hit like that and is speechless right now while rubbing the sore spot. Lightning stares for a moment with his jaw dropped and simply comments "Wow that really smarts."

"Damn straight it does." I tell him as we collect the ladder and set it across the moat.

Not wanting to risk staying on it for too long, each of us crosses in quick succession without stopping or any hesitation. It burns not long after we reach the end. That worked out better than expected.

"Scott makes it to level 3! Can he keep his lead for long? Perhaps somebody with many teeth will answer that." Chris ponders through his megaphone, and then chuckles at the end.

Once I reach the top of the moat, I see the ginger frozen in place after he screams in fear. Lindsay waves a hand in front of his face and asks "Scott, are you OK?" much like I did earlier.

Sam explains "Remember that he has a phobia of sharks, especially Fang after getting mauled by him last season and having to be put on life support to survive."

The large-chested blonde replies "Oh right. I can't blame anyone for being afraid, but now is a bad time to freeze up like that."

Our mutant shark smiles evilly at them. I feel bad for not being able to help the one I love at a time like this. At the same time, this gives me a chance to reach the lead again, so I make a swim for it. My helpers follow suit and we try not to make too much noise. Just as I'm about to reach the ledge, I notice Fang swimming towards me! I scream loudly as I scramble out of the water. Lightning bravely punches him in the jaw and proclaims "Sha-bam!", knocking the mutant shark away.

"Looks like I underestimated you." a shocked Jo says afterwards.

"Sha-obviously you did." the narcissist boasts, which makes her scowl at him as they climb onto the ledge.

On the other side, Lindsay apparently got the idea to toss Scott across the water with Sam helping her, instructing "Throw him now like I told you!" and they fling him over.

It continues to amaze me how much better she's done in the game than when I first lived through the All-Stars season. The blonde went from last place out of 14 to the final 3, easily the biggest improvement in rankings, and is showing much more of her smart side now. All of it shows what a big difference one change of her actions can make, which was not pushing the carriage on day one. I do give her kudos for getting as far as she did. Scott then takes a big sigh of relief and turns back to say "Seriously, thank you both for that and all your help today. I needed that toss more than you know."

"Sure thing, now best of luck on the last level!" replies the gamer.

Focusing back on my own helpers, I tell Jo and Lightning "Well, this is where we have to part ways, so thanks for the help." as Scott and I make our ways up the final ladders and the lady jock responds with "Of course."

We reach the final area at roughly the same time. Who will get the sword first, though?

 **To be continued (evil laughter). Sorry for the tease, but once I came up with the idea of a cliffhanger during the finals like this, I just had to use it somewhere! You of course will find out next chapter who wins the Scottney finale. I already have made up my mind on the answer. Chapter 19 will NOT be the last chapter as I plan on showing what happens after this revised season ends. Just letting you know in advance. Stay tuned for more!**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place), Gwen (7th place), Sam (6th place), Zoey (5th place), Mike (4th place), Lindsay (3rd place)**

 **Finalists** **:**

 **Courtney and Scott**

 **Chapter posted: March 31, 2019.**


	19. Crowning the Winner

**You've been waiting to see who wins it all, and will find out after more review replies.**

 **SideshowJazz1: Nice catch on the helpers. I wasn't sure how many people would notice, but that was no coincidence as I wanted to give them more focus than canon did. Every eliminated contestant was technically present for the finale, though, even if most were only shown in balloons :P. I do however get your point on having all their faces clearly shown. It seems safe to say the writers wanted to confirm Aleheather (Alejandro x Heather) had officially become a couple. Regardless, I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 18, and here's hoping you also like this one! Who to root for here is a matter of personal choice.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Fair point on Lindsay. Nice to know you enjoyed her actions as well as those from the other helpers.**

 **ShadowJcreed: Feel free to root for whoever you'd like. I won't interfere with that. You guessed right on the "anyone can win" twist; that won't happen here when we don't have Zoke or Aleheather kissing in the middle of the game.**

 **That British Guy: Cliffhangers are fun to write, what can I say?**

 **Critica7: I wouldn't have thought of that for Al this season. For what it's worth, he would probably have better luck tricking/recruiting Lightning than Jo when she's overall smarter than sha-egotist. Too late for that now. Here's hoping you enjoy the last competition chapter (which again isn't the last overall chapter of this story).**

 **SCOOTNEYFAN: Better late than never for catching up!**

 **Jeptwin: I'm glad you've enjoyed my fic here :). Connections did seem to be a struggle for our time-traveler in canon, though she has a better grasp of what is/isn't worth keeping around now. Nice to know you like what I did with Lindsay! Courtney publicly admitting she knew about Mal before Chris showed that tape of him definitely would've been suspicious, which is why she was very careful on who to discuss him with. The demon would've done something bad to her for sure if he learned too soon that she was onto him. You're about to find out what follows in our finals here.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct: See my above response to That British Guy.**

 **Now picking up where we left off.**

Chef is ready for both Scott and me, and quickly starts firing. He aims at me first, and I dodge a couple shots before ducking behind a boulder. Our cook then focuses on the ginger, who jumps over a few blasts as he runs over. Mr. McLean then says "Ooooooh, some impressive maneuvers from both Scott AND Courtney, and unimpressive shooting from Chef." as he flies in with a jetpack.

"It's a bad idea to agitate someone with armed weaponry." I warn.

Hatchet has an angry look on his face and remarks "The CIT is right." as he aims the bazooka at our host, who gulps in fear upon noticing.

It was at this moment that Chris knew he fucked up. McLean briefly groans in pain as Chef blasts him. Both of us finalists run for the sword at the same time. Chef tries to fire at us again only to find he's out of ammo. It would've been nice for Mike and Zoey if they managed to deplete his load like that (though I do know that the multi-personality teen somehow had thankfully gotten rid of Mal beforehand while in the water moat). Oh well. Anyway, my opponent and I keep running.

The first one to grab that sword is…

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Scott!

He pulls it out from the stone, proclaiming "Hell to the fuck yes!" while holding that in the air.

There it went. My chance to win is officially gone just like that. The game is over. Coming in second place behind him of all people is better than losing to anyone else, though. I feel both disappointed in myself and happy for him at the same time. At least I went further in the game than last time around to have my best season yet and am still getting half a million bucks when we agreed to split the cash if either of us won. That part feels pretty good.

"Scott wins the million dollars!" McLean announces as he walks over with the brief case containing it.

"While I obviously would've preferred winning myself, I still am proud of you and it's better than losing to anybody else." I admit and give him a congratulatory hug, prompting him to drop the sword so he can hug me back and reply with "Thanks for that."

After we release from that several seconds later and he takes the case of money from Chris, Sam compliments "Way to go on winning!" while giving him two thumbs up and Lindsay remarks "Honestly, I wasn't sure who would come in first when this was a close match, but still give my congrats." as they walk towards us.

The gamer then gives my boyfriend a fist bump once close enough. Right after that, we hear sha-narcissist complain "Lightning still wishes he could've won the million instead." as he approaches us.

Jo tells him "No matter how much you wish for that, it ain't happening." while joining the group.

Our host's phone then rings. He picks it up and complains "Ugh, it's the network" before answering with "Yes?"

It's hard to decipher the exact words, but I already know what the call is about. Chris goes "Uh-huh" followed by another "Uh-huh, OK, done!" as someone from the network continues their indecipherable speech and then he hangs up the phone to inform us "They're so happy that they want to go straight into a new season with an all-new cast!"

This of course led to Pahkitew Island. Right after he finishes this announcement, though, the ground starts shaking. Uh-oh; here's the part where our whole island sinks! Scott remarks "That can't possibly be any good!" before a concerned McLean asks "Um, what's going on, Chef?"

"What was even used to make these moats anyway?" Lightning inquires.

Our cook answers "A fracking machine."

"Bad idea; this island is too small for a giant powered drill like that!" I blurt.

"Why? What-What could possibly happen?" Chris nervously questions as water spurts out from where Scott pulled the sword.

"A sinking island, so maybe death!" Jo panics.

We all then start screaming in terror. Way to go Chef for risking land stability, and shame on Chris for probably making you do so. The moat beneath us cracks more and more before splitting. Everyone spills along with it towards the water. Our cook nonchalantly floats in the water with a drink in one hand. I manage to get on top of a cabin roof along with the ginger, the busty blonde, and the gamer. The latter two also take some poles up with them, which I suppose could help with steering like it did for Mike, Zoey, Cameron, and Gwen in the original timeline. Speaking of the goth, I need to reach out to her when I have the chance. Focusing back on the current situation, Scott somehow still has the case of money from Chris. He tells us "As much as I liked winning, I should've guessed something bad would happen today afterwards no matter who pulled the sword."

"You couldn't have known, bud, even though it is a very Chris-like thing to do." Sam assures him.

Our host can then be heard signing off the episode with "Well, that's it for our very first All-Star season, but don't worry; we're coming back with a brand-new cast and I guess a brand-new island too." and then chuckles a bit before adding "Until next time, I'm Chris McLean, and this has been Total. Drama. All-Stars!"

In the distance, I notice a boat carrying lots of animals from the island and Owen can be seen water-skiing off its back. He waves at camera and tells it "Look mom; I'm water-skiing!" right before screaming as he wipes out.

The fat guy quickly resurfaces and chuckles. I faintly hear him proclaiming afterwards "That was awesome!"

"I wish we could go back to help Owen, but it's hard to control this cabin with the ongoing water flow and he's now too far away." Lindsay tells us.

"Quite a shame really." I admit. "He really doesn't deserve to just be stranded."

A few minutes afterwards, I see him swimming very quickly along with Jo and Lightning. They all are quite scared because Fang is chasing after them! While I don't know how they crossed paths with the fatso or if he got chased last time around off-camera (though the latter wouldn't surprise me), this is a very scary sight.

"Lightning thinks he should give the shark another sha-punch!" sha-idiot stupidly suggests aloud as they swim towards another cabin roof in the distance, which is too far away for us to pass over anything.

Owen catches his breath and replies "Bad idea when I'm pretty sure that's what got him angry at you in the first place." while the trio climbs on top of it.

"Glad you have an actual brain unlike Brightning." Jo remarks once all of them are safe.

Fang angrily growls at them before swimming away.

"At least they're now safe from Fang." I tell the others on my cabin roof, who all nod in agreement.

Trying to lighten things up, Scott remarks "That island destruction was one way for Chef to be ground-breaking."

Ba-dum-tss. Not a bad pun. We snicker a bit at that. I would try to paddle over and help the others, but the current has started pulling us even further away. Better just use the poles I do have to help somewhat control it. My quartet (for a lack of a better collective description) paddles with the current as paddling against it would be futile. It lets up about ten minutes later. Some sort of land can vaguely be seen in the distance. Lindsay tells us "Whatever's over there, it can't be worse than being stranded in the water." and we make our way towards that.

On the way over, Sam ponders "Chris said something about the show's producers wanting to go right into a new season right after this one. How in the world could he get a new location for it on such short notice, and how quickly do these episodes tend to get recorded?"

"Not sure what to say about any new location, but as crazy as this might sound, the first three seasons were all filmed in the span of less than a year. This process takes place well before the episodes' weekly broadcasts. Taping for season four started two weeks before the one-year anniversary of when Lindsay and I first arrived for season one and that started being recorded. In fact, season two started about a week after the first one ended, though there was a larger gap between the end of that and the third season premiere. Five months to be specific, though the media made the time difference seem longer than it really was. Each of those seasons took place over the course of roughly two months. There was only about a month in between season three's finale taping and when you and Scott first came by to begin season four. I don't think that took more than a month to film when there were fewer episodes and contestants. Either way, this was my first season to not have any days off in between challenges. While more grueling that way, we did get through it all sooner." I tell him.

"Yeah, the network wanted to get more episodes out as soon as possible after season one had such high ratings, so we had to film the next season shortly after that ended. That larger gap between seasons two and three was because Chris and Chef were too worn out to go back at it again so soon, also us contestants were too preoccupied with our off-camera lives back then anyway to return on such short notice. I can't comment on the gap from the third and fourth seasons, though the year gap between seasons four and five of course was because of Chris going to jail. It's hard to say what recording and any time off between challenges will be like for season six. On another note, only Chris, Chef, the network, the producers, the lawyers, the competing contestants, and the contestants' family members know who gets eliminated when prior to the broadcasts. Said relatives are also required to keep a promise not to spoil it for the general public. Not even the press knows in advance what happens before the episodes air. That's how good this show and those involved in it are at keeping its content secret until the time is right." our busty blonde adds.

All I know is that Pahkitew Island has the same number of episodes that Revenge of the Island and All-Stars did, and that the new season's episodes air weekly. Maybe I'll re-watch those with Scott as they air on TV. In the meantime, better keep paddling.

It takes roughly half an hour to reach land. Once there, I spot the shapes of Owen, Chris, Gwen, Jo, Lightning, Chef, and a couple interns. One of them I now recognize was the intern that rescued Scott and me in the original timeline along with the others who weren't chosen as helpers. Too bad I still didn't get the chance to speak with the goth back then. That thankfully isn't the case this time around.

I remember us all having our own helicopters to take us back to our homes. Each of them had even been marked with our names to signify which contestant they were supposed to collect. It looks like everybody has left at this point except for the previously mentioned contestants, myself, and those who rode the same cabin roof as I did. Jo and Lightning enter their helicopters before I could reach either, which isn't a big issue as I didn't have much to say to them anyway. McLean gives our fatso a paycheck and tells him "Thanks again for stopping by to help with those balloons. Here's the payment I promised for you. Just try not to spend it all at once."

"Sure, though I still feel bad about putting people in gas traps." the big guy responds as his helicopter arrives. "See you later Chris."

Owen then gets into said helicopter and heads home. I then approach a certain goth, who still has casts on her arms, and tell her "Sorry I couldn't rescue you from your balloon, Gwen, though I of course am quite glad you still made it back here safe."

She turns to reply with "No worries. It was impossible for you to know which one I got stuck in, and I knew it was purely random who got freed anyway. Congrats on reaching the final two with Scott, by the way. I could tell you wanted to go there with him."

"Thanks. He won by a very close call, but I don't feel too bad when he agreed to share the money with me if either of us got it. Being in a relationship with him also helps." I respond.

"I'm sure it does." Gwen tells me. "Make good use of your half million."

"Trust me, I plan to." I affirm.

My boyfriend joins us a few seconds later with the briefcase of money. We then notice a helicopter arriving behind her. After reaching the ground, it lays out a collapsible staircase that she can use with incapacitated arms. The goth says "Here's my ride. Be sure to keep in touch, and Scott, kudos on winning. Wishing you both well."

"Thanks, and I will!" the ginger replies.

"Me too." I add.

"Of course. Thankfully my arms feel somewhat better since the day I got voted off, but they still aren't even halfway healed yet. I'll probably lay low for a while as they recover enough to become usable again. Goodbye now." she tells us before entering her helicopter and exiting.

I most definitely am glad I got to say goodbye before her departure. Obviously a far better way to end the season with the goth than last time around. Turning around, I see Lindsay's just getting into her own helicopter now. She calls out "Bye everyone! It was fun to compete again. By the way, Sam, sorry again for not believing you at first about the whole marshmallow ordeal." with a handwave.

Sam, Scott, and I wave back along with Chris. Mr. Gamer replies "No hard feelings, and at least you know the truth now." as the busty blonde and her helicopter take off.

"If you know about how Mal set you up for elimination there, then I'm guessing you also found out that persona got erased." My boyfriend remarks.

"I do, and Mike's a hero for getting rid of him." the gaming nut affirms as he picks up a pad of paper and pen that for some reason were lying around. "Earlier today before we got stuffed into balloons, he, Zoey, and Lindsay told me all about it and that the evil persona wiped Svetlana, Chester, Vito, and Manitoba before being taken out. They were also very apologetic for voting me off in the final six and not trusting me back then when I said I was innocent. All has been forgiven between us. I also heard that Mal temporarily took over during the final five's vote, so if Mike was in control, then Zoey probably would've gone through a tie-breaker instead of just being outright eliminated. Our bud only regained control of himself after the vote had been cast and knew he couldn't change anything, so just walked out of the confessional afterwards. Not sure who they would've jointly opted to flush. Regardless, Chris additionally showed me that incriminating tape where the marshmallow got smudged on an old game console to frame me. It's a good thing that now we all know what really happened. On another note, Alejandro and Heather got shockingly affectionate earlier prior to the balloon stuffing, even making out at one point! I guess becoming a couple let out sides to them nobody would've otherwise seen. Either way, the drastic change from their typical selves was disturbing."

Scott and I cringe upon hearing about Mr. Burromuerto and his lady love. Good thing I didn't have to witness any foreshadowing of how they'd loudly make love in apartments this time, though, and him possibly impregnating her. Speaking of apartments, that reminds me to go with something this time that isn't close to theirs once I move out (and preferably has thicker walls). Hearing their arguments is also no fun. I thankfully should be able to get my parents to look elsewhere when the time comes.

"Such unusual behavior from them isn't exactly a pleasant mental image." I add, with both guys nodding in agreement.

Shortly afterwards, another helicopter arrives. It's for Sam. He grabs the pen and paper from the ground while saying "I better get going. Dakota's having some surgery for her mutation tomorrow and I should be by her side for it. This might help restore her previous general appearance, or at least pre-mutation height. Either way, she's relieved to have regained the ability to talk normally again before I left to compete on this season. Having to speak like The Incredible Hulk for a while embarrassed her. Congrats again Scott for winning first place. I also wish you both well with your relationship." as that reaches the ground, then writes something down on two pieces of paper to give us, adding "There's my contact info if you'd like to keep in touch."

"Thank you, and farewell. Give Ms. Milton my best wishes. We'll be sure to reach out." I reply as we each take a piece right before the ginger adds "Thanks from me too, and winning kicks ass! When you get the chance, please also tell Dakota I'm sorry for going out of line last season and that I regret being a such a major jerk back then. Here's hoping her surgery goes well. While I admittedly haven't given up quite all my mean tendencies, I knew I had to tone myself down and had gone too far once Chris put Fang in the catapult with me when I got voted off then. As I was getting mauled and thought I could easily die there, I vowed to never be so evil again if I somehow survived. No joke. Thank god I didn't get killed. At least I could get myself to a level where I can make friends. It also meant a lot when you accepted my apologies earlier this season. So long, bud."

He then acknowledges that statement with "Not a problem." before getting into his helicopter, and waves goodbye while taking off.

The two of us wave back. On the papers we received are Sam's email, Skype, cell number, and various gaming IDs. I'll probably ask him how things went for Dakota after the surgery concludes. Chris then remarks "I should've guessed the finalists would be the last ones to get their rides home." while shrugging his shoulders. "Your helicopters should arrive soon."

"I would hope so." Scott replies.

"In the meantime, is there a spare suitcase or box or something I can use?" I ask. "When we're splitting the money, this will make it easier for me to carry my half."

"Not that I know of. Maybe your helicopters will have something." the host answers.

A few minutes later, two helicopters can be heard.

"About time these showed up!" my boyfriend proclaims as they approach, already containing our packed belongings.

Chef shows up and says "I'm surprised they didn't get here sooner. Every contestant should've already gotten home or at least started riding back by now."

"Better late than never." I tell him while the helicopters get closer to the ground.

Turning towards me, Scott states "Thanks for this whole season. There's nobody else I would've rather gone to the finals with. Be sure to give me your new address ASAP once you find a good apartment! I'll really miss seeing you around."

"Of course, and I'm gonna miss you too." I reply. "As you know, you were my ideal choice for finale opponent as well. Take care."

He puts down the suitcase for a moment so we can hug one last time before leaving. The two of us also lovingly share a romantic kiss that lasts for about 10 seconds before releasing. We then notice an empty box in Scott's helicopter. He asks the pilot "Can you please give me that box before I head out? There's something I'd like to fill it with."

Said pilot shrugs his shoulders and tosses that box towards us. The ginger then opens the suitcase and places half of its money within the box. I thank him with "Much appreciated."

He silently nods in response and we shake hands. I take the money box with me into my helicopter as he takes the half-filled suitcase into his. We exchange handwaves while they lift from the ground before flying off. It'll be a long ride home, so I take out my law book once more and read that to pass the time. Yes, it's a long piece that I still haven't finished yet. First place or not, I feel quite proud of what I could accomplish when reliving All-Stars. Even though I narrowly lost the finals today, I do still feel that I redeemed myself by overall being a better person and doing things differently this season, so that part of my mission is accomplished. Now I just need to get home. My parents and brothers must really miss me right now.

 **Sorry to keep you waiting. The revised All-Stars season has officially concluded! Next chapter will have our CIT getting back home, and I'll fast forward through time afterwards to the point where she wished for a chance to redeem herself.**

 **Reason for winner: Right from the start, I knew that I wanted Courtney to go farther than in canon as it would otherwise be pointless to relive the season, but always planned for her to lose. A protagonist winning everything upon a second chance felt cliché, so Scott took the crown instead. I also wanted to explore the idea of her handling a loss better than she would've in the original timeline. Him of all people winning was the most plausible way to do that. Apologies to anybody who hoped she'd win the season.**

 **Elimination Order** **:**

 **Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place), Heather (10th place), Alejandro (9th place), Cameron (8th place), Gwen (7th place), Sam (6th place), Zoey (5th place), Mike (4th place), Lindsay (3rd place)**

 **Finalists** **:**

 **Courtney (2nd place) and Scott (1st place)**

 **Chapter posted: April 28, 2019.**


	20. Home Sweet Home

**In case I wasn't clear enough before, we're on the secon** **d-to-last chapter here. It has some family time. I'll now reply to reviews given since my last update.**

 **Harmony735: Thank you very much!**

 **SideshowJazz1: Glad you understand my point on avoiding a clich** **é ending** **and enjoyed what I gave. You'll find out soon enough how things go following the revised All-Stars season's conclusion.**

 **Jeptwin: Much appreciated!**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Nice to know you enjoyed what I did with the characters, and Scott loved winning the finals** **.**

 **animefan1009: Crazy indeed! Canon All-Stars had flaws, and a goal I had was to give people something they'd enjoy more than that, though the actual season was still something I enjoyed and personally think many people are too harsh on. I do realize my opinion on it is probably unpopular within the Total Drama fandom, but oh well. Nice to know you preferred my fic and that (at least with you) I accomplished my goal.**

 **That British Guy: You might not be the only one surprised by that.**

 **Gage the Hedgehog: Yes indeed! Hope you liked it.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct: Here it is now!**

 **Let's resume the story.**

Just as I finish my law book, the helicopter reaches the spot Chef landed to pick me up and begins its descent. Pretty good timing on my part. I stuff it into the bag and grab that along with my money box as I exit. My transportation then takes off as I exchange handwaves with the pilot. Nice to be back home before nightfall, although the sun is fading now. Having some cash to take back with me this time is great even if I got second place instead of first. Carrying that and my bag with me up to the house I grew up in, I knock on the door before calling out "Mom, Dad, I've returned from Total Drama All-Stars. I ended up coming in second place this season, though my finale opponent and I agreed in advance to split the million, so I brought some cash home after all!"

Within 15 seconds, my parents open the door and greet me with "Welcome back!" at the same time.

I put my things down upon entering the house to hug them both. Afterwards, I say "It's nice to be with you again. Where are Stuart and Timothy?"

"They went out with friends for the night who had no other open times in the foreseeable future, and probably won't be home until past midnight." Mom answers. "The whole thing was planned at least a month in advance."

Dammit! I somehow totally forgot about how they poorly scheduled a night of partying for this day. At least I can see them in the morning. I legally could join them for drinks when Canada allows 18-year-olds to consume alcohol (I of all people should know that when the three of us plan to be lawyers like our parents), though clubbing with my brothers somehow doesn't feel right even though they'd be willing to protect me from any creeps who try to get too close. With some irritation, I reply "Talk about bad timing when their sister comes home."

"True, but to be fair, none of us knew in advance when you'd be back." Dad says. "By the way, we heard from Chris that you've found a new boyfriend this season named Scott. Is this just another one of his lies? That host isn't exactly the most honest man around. I've learned to take much of what he says with a grain of salt."

"McLean was telling the truth about that." I confirm. "Scott ended up defeating me by a narrow margin in the finals, and honestly has been quite a gentleman with me both before and during our relationship. It was his suggestion for us to split the money if either of us won. The guy of course followed through by putting half of the money in this box that I carried home. While we might not have dated for long just yet, I can already say he treats me better than Duncan ever did and overall is more compatible with me. Believe it or not, I saw some of my past self within Scott. Even if I initially didn't expect to become attracted to him or start this relationship as soon as I did, I have no regrets about saying yes to the guy this season. You'll probably meet him once I figure out when his open days are."

Both parents smile after that, approving of someone who treats their daughter well. They of course knew all about my prior strained relationship with the delinquent and were sympathetic to me over his infidelity as well as Alejandro toying with my heart. Speaking of Al, I still need to find an apartment far away from where he and Heather end up moving into. No way am I listening to their noisy sex sessions or arguments through thin walls if I can avoid that! In the meantime, I'll enjoy a night here before moving out.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." My mother replies.

"Completely. You can trust me on that." I assure her. "On another note, after re-watching the past seasons and talking things out with Gwen, I realized I was wrong to be so vicious towards her in season 3 and we made amends off-camera. The goth wasn't to blame after all for, shall we say, an unfortunate occurrence as it turns out she in fact wasn't the one who initiated anything or made moves behind my back plus felt really bad for what happened."

"At least you know the truth now." My father says. "In the meantime, I've got dinner cooking and shouldn't let that burn. Expect that to be ready in the next 15 minutes."

I tell him "Not a problem. I'll go unpack what I can beforehand." and then take my bag to my room.

Thankfully I only brought one bag with me when leaving for All-Stars. That makes things easier. I take out my clothes, toiletries, law book, and the pieces of paper with contact details for Sam, Scott, and Gwen. After turning on my phone, I add each of their numbers and email addresses to my contact list. If I wasn't pressed for time, then I'd also turn on my laptop and add them on Skype.

Just as I get the last of my clothes back into my drawers, Dad calls out "Time for dinner!"

Feeling hungry anyway, I don't waste any time getting to the kitchen. Plates of grilled salmon with green beans and rice are at the table when I arrive. Sounds nice to me. It also tastes quite nice. As we're eating, Mom asks "How much of your half million do you plan to spend on the apartment once you move out and how much will go to college?"

OK I hadn't thought about that. It still is a fair question, though. I reply "Not sure yet, but since you bring up apartments, I'd like to look at other options before making the move. Remember how thin those walls were when we visited? While that was the best that we could find during our initial search without spending too much money and I thought I could live with it back then, I now think it's better to go elsewhere. May as well make good use of my half million."

"Understandable point. We can now afford something better anyway." my father admits. "Just be sure not to get anything too expensive!"

"No worries; I most definitely won't!" I assure him.

"If you'd still like to stay in Eastern Canada, then that would probably make things easier." my mother tells me.

I respond with "Fine by me. I just feel there's some place out there that won't keep me up at night."

After the meal is finished and our dishes are put away, I go find my laptop and turn that on so I can search for apartments. Just need to find something that isn't the Ottawa place I chose in the original timeline. It takes a few hours before I find anything decent that isn't super expensive. Once I find some listings that are both good and affordable, I grab my phone to call Scott. He picks up after the first three rings, asking "Hi Court, did you get home OK?"

"Yes, and thank you for your concern, Scott. Hopefully you did too." I answer.

"Of course, and I did." the ginger tells me. "Thankfully the half million I took home is enough for Albertha to kickstart the business she'd been hoping to create and run with me. We start tomorrow and will hopefully make some nice profits from it."

Out of curiosity, I ask "Has a name been chosen for it?"

"Yes; it'll be called 'Gordon Farm Goods', and we plan to make this a family business." he affirms.

"If it ever needs an attorney, then feel free to call Gomez Law Inc., the firm that my parents own and that I'll someday work at along with my brothers. Best of luck either way." I offer.

Scott thanks me with "Duly noted and appreciated. Chances are I will in such a case."

"Of course." I say. "Let me know how the sales go once you've got it up and running."

"By the way, how far are you from Quebec?" my boyfriend asks. "I do hope the apartment you choose is at least in that province as it's where I live."

"My current home is in Hamilton, Ontario. Moving over there shouldn't really be an issue, though." I respond. "It turns out I was thinking of moving towards Montreal. Just found some good options there and am trying to decide on which one I want."

"Actually, that's great!" my boyfriend proclaims. "My farm is about half an hour from Montreal. I'll text you my address after this call so you can figure out which one is closest."

I affirm "Sounds like a plan. I'll talk to you later after choosing one, plus I have another call I need to make."

"Goodbye then, and I love you." he says.

Right before hanging up, I reply with "I love you too."

Within ten seconds, I get a text from him with his address. Very useful for helping choose which apartment I want. The other necessary call I mentioned is one to Gwen. After quickly texting thanks to Scott, I dial the goth's number. She picks up after several rings and greets me with "Nice to hear from you. How are things back home? By the way, in case you're wondering how I answered this with bad arms, I'm on speakerphone right now and my mom helped set this up."

"Pretty good, as a matter of fact." I inform her. "Just got off a call with Scott and he's planning to use his half million to start up a business tomorrow with his sister where they sell their farm's crops. I'm looking for a new apartment to move into so we can be closer to one another."

"Fair way to make use of any food grown there that they don't already eat." she says. "As for the apartment, I hope it isn't so expensive that you have to spend all your earnings too soon."

"It definitely won't be." I insist. "After this call, I'm going to figure out the distances between his address and some Montreal listings I have in mind."

"Good idea. I'd probably do the same thing in your situation. Maybe I'll visit you at some point." Gwen replies.

"I'd really like that! Once I've moved in, I'll send you the address." I say.

"Looking forward to it." she tells me. "Right now, I need some rest and pain meds that a doctor recommended for me. Talk to you later."

"Understandable, and I wish you the fastest possible recovery!" I respond before hanging up.

With that out of the way, I now realize it's getting late. I'm starting to feel tired anyway and change into my pajamas before going to clean my teeth. After that's done, I go to the living room and see that both of my parents are watching TV. Dad asks me "Care to join us?"

"I would, but after a long and eventful day, I need some sleep. Just wanted to wish sweet dreams to you both." I answer.

"Goodnight from each of us as well, then." Mom tells me, and then I hug both before heading off to my room.

Life feels pretty good right now. In addition to the family who already loved me, I have a great boyfriend who went to the finals with me, plus I'm bound to get visits from a good pal once her arms are better and I've chosen an apartment. I'll look more into my Montreal choices in the morning. Climbing into my own bed feels great after being away to compete on another season of Total Drama. Within a few minutes, I feel myself dozing off to sleep.

 **THE FINAL CHAPTER IS UP NEXT! That's when I'll fast forward six months in time. Before getting into the new future, I wanted to dedicate a chapter to Courtney's return home. It's been a long ride and I thank my readers for their patience and reviews.**

 **Chapter posted: May 12, 2019.**


	21. Revised Future

**Our last chapter has arrived! On a minor note, I noticed a math error with in-universe episode broadcast and time travel, and have fixed that accordingly. Here are my final responses to reviews before wrapping things up.**

 **SideshowJazz1: It was definitely intended to be sweet. Not sure what to say about being strict, but I can imagine Courtney's parents having high expectations. She did once say "Momma didn't raise no sucker!" during a confessional from the TDA episode "2008: A Space Owen", and never really spoke about her family after that in canon. The rest was left to imagination and I just improvised with it. With our CIT indeed being a legal adult, her mother and father can't really nag her so much anymore. I did touch on them a bit in Chapters 2 and 6, though last chapter of course went into much more detail. They're definitely supportive and she will most certainly reflect here on how her life changed when reliving All-Stars.**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Her welcome back was far better this time for sure.**

 **That British Guy: Perhaps you'll have more to say for the last chapter.**

 **Gage the Hedgehog: We're now at the story's end, and it's nice to have the contestants get back to where they live.**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct: It has been quite a ride indeed! I'm glad you enjoyed the return home.**

 **Ladies and gentlemen, I now give you the story's conclusion.**

Without any doubt, I can safely say that reliving All-Stars and doing things differently has overall improved my life. However, if there's anything good that came out of my first run-through, then it's how re-watching episodes featuring myself afterwards gave me a way to learn from my mistakes. I was horrified at how mean I could sometimes get when viewing those, and I did change myself for the better once I truly realized how often I was in the wrong. Losing Scott as a boyfriend and Gwen as a friend were among my biggest regrets. Good thing neither of those things happened again in this timeline.

The day after I got home from season 5, I picked out a nice Montreal apartment which is about a 20-minute drive from the ginger's farm and moved in a week later. It also is conveniently within walking distance of both train and bus stops if I ever need public transportation. We've met up with each other at least once a week over the past six months since I moved there. Going on dates with him has been a delight. He remains a gentleman with me whether we're in a restaurant, movie theater, museum, one of our places, or anywhere else. I'm quite glad we're still a couple. We've only had occasional arguments or disagreements since All-Stars ended, none of which had any major affect on our relationship.

Scott and I have had the chance to meet one another's families. Thankfully my parents and brothers have no issues with him. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon happen to be fine farmers, and his sister Albertha is easy to get along with. They fortunately don't have any problems with me either. My boyfriend just turned 18 a week ago, and I took him out for his first legal beer to celebrate becoming an adult. He thought that tasted kind of bitter, but still enjoyed drinking it. I had similar thoughts with my first alcoholic drink on my own 18th birthday.

As for other contestants, the ginger is still friends with our gaming nut Sam Shriver. He and the gamer sometimes play _Halo_ or _Call of Duty_ games together on Xbox Live. I've joined them several times, and believe it or not, I somehow kicked their asses the first time we played _Halo_ together. Now I have a better sense of how Penny from The Big Bang Theory felt in that early episode where she ends up being a natural when joining Raj, Sheldon, and Leonard for their weekly _Halo_ night when Howard was absent. Dakota happened to join in a couple times as well for _Call of Duty_ and is pretty good at it.

By the way, I once got the chance to meet Ms. Milton when she and Sam went on a double date with Scott and me. Most of her pre-mutation physical appearance has been restored. The only noticeable differences are a spike on each shoulder, she's a bit taller than before (I'm guessing by 2 or 3 inches), and her hair is much shorter (roughly chin-length as opposed to going down the back). Dakota dyes it blonde these days (or at least the hair tips) when the green that grows in somehow just won't go away.

I hear her surgeons are struggling to find ways to get the natural blonde hair to grow back and that scheduling appointments hasn't been easy when they're oftentimes booked with other patients. Regardless, they still have done a very impressive job overall trying to restore her prior looks, and she was pleasant to interact with when we met. It also took multiple operations to get her to this point because of how advanced the goal was and how much she had mutated. Dakota and Sam are certainly lucky to have one another, and I wish them well. Right now, she's primarily hoping to get the shoulder spikes removed whenever the next surgery takes place, which is also something hospitals for some reason haven't yet found a way to safely remove.

Two other people I happened to meet up with one day were Mike and Zoey when they were visiting Montreal and we exchanged contact information to keep in touch. They're still happily together to this day. Psychiatry also really helped Mr. Albright feel better mentally after all his alternate personalities got wiped. She was quite forgiving when he apologized for not thinking to caution anybody about Mal before the evil persona resurfaced, reasoning her boyfriend couldn't have known it would be an issue before the beach shovel hit when he previously thought that demon was long gone. I share her thoughts on the matter.

A new thing I learned from our meeting was that the first three seasons of Total Drama ended up airing two episodes each week, not just one as I thought. Ms. Fulton had watched them all as they aired and apparently nobody on camera knew this right away, not even Chris or Chef. Seasons four through six still just showed one episode per week, though. It's hard to say for certain, but maybe high ratings for the original season changed the network's mind on how often to broadcast those. In any case, I still have no idea whether a seventh season of Total Drama will come. If it does, then I probably won't compete since I've sent in applications for multiple colleges and I do hope to get in ASAP so I can subsequently go to law school and someday become a lawyer. I already took home half a million bucks from the show anyway and am quite happy I could get any cash out of it.

In the meantime, I've been working part-time hours as a barista at a coffee shop. It's about a five-minute walk to and from there. No, this isn't permanent, just something to help pay the bills and start making my own earning. It pays me more money than my work as a grocery store cashier. Not going back to retail if I can avoid it. The free coffee I get here is also quite nice.

Why am I not doing anything for my parents' law firm now? Because it's too far away to feasibly commute to and from every day, plus they've always had a rule on only hiring people with law degrees and insisted it wouldn't be fair to just hire my brothers or me without such qualifications just because we're family when they wouldn't do the same for any other people. While I really wish I could work there sooner, I also understand their point. Being the youngest of their three children, I of course will be the last to join, but at least I have an idea of what to expect. Here's hoping I get accepted into something good soon so I can work further towards that.

While working on some college applications, I re-watched the Pahkitew episodes with Scott as they were broadcast. What he doesn't know is that I wanted to see whether any differences would be made from the first time I viewed them following my changes to All-Stars. The answer was no. Literally everything was the same from Beardo getting the first boot to the Shawn vs. Sky finale. I should've guessed when no past contestants were seen or heard from that season at all and the closest things to even mentioning them took place in its first episode where Chris discussed the island sinking and Ella said in a confessional that she loved watching season three and memorized its songs.

My boyfriend was probably most disturbed by how Scarlett went berserk and tried to kill the other players during the final six. Can't blame him for feeling irked when she was indeed a psycho who should be in jail for that. I heard she got banned from the show after getting cut from the contest that day, which is fully deserved and wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. No way would I ever want to compete with someone like her! Letting that maniac return would basically be asking for trouble.

Conversely, something he found funny was how Max tried to be evil without much success. That wannabe villain just wishes he was as evil as the show's actual antagonists of each season (Heather, me, Alejandro, Scott, Mal, and Sugar in that order) when serving as baddie, or perhaps as evil as Scarlett when she attempted to murder the cast. The ginger felt somewhat embarrassed to be from a farm after seeing how ridiculously easily Rodney would fall in love with different girls just from simple interactions. Scott once complained "That idiot and his delusions could easily give a poor impression of other farm guys like me!", though I quickly assured him otherwise when he has little else in common with the love-obsessed farm boy.

Oh, I almost forgot something else; Gwen sometimes visits Montreal. Her arms took about two months to fully heal after both got broken from that big fall in the cave. We've also met up from time to time near her London, Ontario home. The goth isn't interested in competing on Total Drama again, though has no issues meeting up with castmates such as my boyfriend and myself, and she has lately gotten back in touch with Leshawna. Not sure why the two didn't interact much after getting eliminated in season three when they were close friends during seasons one and two.

In any case, one really great thing about my time-travel is that I'm sure not one of my competitors had the slightest suspicion that I had already once lived through All-Stars. Good thing nobody figured out my big secret. I specifically made sure not to leave any hints about it. Not even brilliant detectives like Sherlock Holmes or Adrian Monk could've figured out I went back in time unless maybe they had some aura-reading ability like Dawn has or could read minds. She on the other hand inevitably would've figured it out and exposed me if competing in season five.

Because of this time-travel and changing up my actions, I'm now someone with friends and a loving relationship instead of a largely lonely person who most (or all) of my castmates despise for the stupid elimination chart. It also helped me get to the finals. In the original timeline, my relatives were probably the only people who didn't hold any grudges against me after All-Stars ended, though Mom and Dad did reprimand my actions as very wrong. I don't blame them for doing so even if it added to my guilt. At some point after they told me during that conversation to think long and hard about what I did, I started re-watching seasons I had competed on to refresh some fuzzy memories, which of course made me really examine my own behavior.

In a way, I feel grateful for what my parents said because I otherwise might not have viewed recordings of myself or subsequently wished to go back in time for a chance to do things over. I'm also glad that I re-watched those episodes and could truly learn from my mistakes. Such gratitude certainly cannot be given aloud for obvious reasons, though. Oh well. This time around, they're very proud of me becoming a finalist and taking home some cash even if I didn't win the season. I do hope to please them further with my academics once I get into college. They've never been super strict, though do have high expectations of my brothers and me. Right now, I'm back on the night I made the wish that sent me to the beginning of All-Stars. It feels good to have returned to the present. With a far brighter future this time around, I'm quite eager to see what follows. Here's hoping for the best.

 **THE END! Our CIT has finished her crusade AND returned to the present. It's been really fun writing this fic, and I do hope you've all enjoyed it. I feel quite accomplished for completing it and am very grateful for all of the praise and suggestions I got from reviews. In particular, I'd like to thank Phenomenal Ultra Instinct, ShadowJcreed, and GlitchWarrior for how often they gave input for my story here as well as PurpleBandit3000 for inspiring its premise with his "Total Drama Redemption" fanfic. Seriously, go read that brilliant piece and then its seque** **l "Noah's Tour of the World"** **, especially if you haven't already. Speaking of sequels, I AM NOT making one for this story as it's purely supposed to be a standalone fic, so please don't ask for one. It'll never happen. On another note, I give credit to SideshowJazz1 for the idea on Dakota's post-surgery physical appearance used in this chapter. The operation details were something I came up with for additional nuance.**

 **Chapter posted: May 19, 2019.**


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